Obituaries Australia

Harry Melbourne, with Freddo, by Eddie Jim

Family and friends said goodbye to Harry Melbourne, 94, whose creation has delighted Australian children's tastebuds for 77 years.

Throughout the service at the Preston Ern Jensen & Sons funeral centre, the Rev David Peake offered thanks for the joy Freddos brought to children's lives.

He paid tribute to Mr Melbourne's humour and how he had touched so many lives around him.

Mr Melbourne's son, Harry Jr, 61, gave a eulogy on behalf of the family because they were all very proud of his achievements, he said.

Mr Melbourne migrated to Australia from England at a young age and started work at MacRobertson's lolly factory in Melbourne.

When his boss raised the idea of creating a chocolate mouse in the early 1930s, Mr Melbourne said women and children were afraid of mice and suggested a frog.

While Cadbury later bought out MacRobertson's, Freddo was destined to become one of Australia's sweetest icons. Originally in milk chocolate, Freddo was eventually produced in range of flavours. An estimated 98 million have been sold.

"He was only over here for a short while before he finished up being Freddo Frog," Harry Jr said of his father.

"It was unbelievable at 18 years of age. It's just a legendary thing. Dad, you were nothing but a legend."

Tony Ryan, who worked closely with Mr Melbourne for many years in the Caulfield VFA Football Club, also spoke at the funeral.

Mr Melbourne was a dear friend to the club and his contribution over the years was priceless, he said.

"Everything Harry did was done properly," he said.

"Harry was a person who would not stop helping.

"Harry made you cry laughing or had you laughing with him."

Mr Melbourne's daughter Leonie Wandin, 56, said three years ago her father had a hip replacement and contracted golden staph from hospital.

Since then, his health deteriorated, he was bedridden and his wish was to be reunited with his wife, who had passed away.

"This is a goodbye to Mum and Dad," Ms Wandin said.

"Finally they are together – that's what Dad has wanted for the last three years. He had a lovely life and was loved by the world. I was so proud of him.

"He was a good father and a good provider and he lived for the frog – that was his life."

Granddaughter Barbara Melbourne, 30, was very emotional and said Mr Melbourne was like a father to her.

"I couldn't help but love chocolate," she said. "He would do anything for anyone and was always smiling."

Granddaughter Lisa Melbourne, 28, said it was exciting growing up knowing her grandfather created Freddos.

"Everything was about family for him. If he knew other people were happy then he was happy."

Former Cadbury operations director Frank Miller said Mr Melbourne created a long-standing brand and a much-loved icon.