Kath Pettingill, the matriarch of one of Melbourne's most notorious criminal families and a fixture of Australia's underworld folklore, has died at the age of 91. Known by nicknames including "Granny Evil," she became a well-known public figure in Australia due to her family's extensive criminal history and her own colourful reputation, with her life and clan later inspiring dramatised accounts of Melbourne's gangland scene.

Pettingill's sons and relatives were linked to a string of violent crimes over the decades, cementing the family's standing as central figures in Melbourne's underworld mythology. Her passing marks the end of an era for a family whose exploits were closely followed by the Australian public and media for generations.