Thousands of Noosa locals mourn the death of iconic Noosa resident and owner of the famous ‘Betty’s Beach Burgers’, Betty Wallace.
Ian Banks wrote on the Noosa Community Facebook page on Tuesday 30 April, “Sadly Betty Wallace passed away today. She made the best hamburgers in Noosa. They were large and $1 each. What a legend. Her late husband was Bill Wallace, a famous surfboard maker. She operated for years in the arcade next to Eduardos. RIP Betty Burger!”
Community members reminisced on the days they spent enjoying Betty’s legendary Beach Burgers.
“The best burgers ever, in Noosa. We would have to order them as soon as we walked onto the beach and pick them up an hour later as she was so popular. Still amazed that for $1 your burger consisted of a meat pattie, onions, beetroot, pineapple,cheese,lettuce and tomato. Awesome burgers and Betty worked none stop in her tiny little shop in the arcade walkway. Loved seeing her once she retired going for an early morning swim each day. Legend lady. R.I.P Betty,” Roberta Michelle Walker wrote.
“Betty loved feeding the kids, worked long hours and refused to charge more. Her burgers had to be made just so. Such a genuine and humble human being. My first ever job, spent many hours in that little alleyway. RIP Betty,” Jillian Patterson wrote.
In February 2015, Acres Noosa and Betty Wallace hosted a fundraising event for 24/7 Multiple Sclerosis and over 1000 people flocked to the fundraiser, where nostalgic locals indulged in Betty Wallace’s famous $1 burgers, raising $1800.
Acres Cafe Bar Noosa wrote about the event, “She’s been an iconic part of our local Noosa landscape for some time. What is truly remarkable about Betty Wallace is just how many people have a strong and fond memory connected to her personally and the food she made.”
“Chances are that you’ve heard of Betty’s Beach Burgers even if you didn’t grow up on them. Betty wasn’t a gourmet chef seeding the incredible food culture we have in Noosa today. She didn’t open a chain of franchises around the county. Betty made regular, plain old hamburgers that you could buy for $1. She did it for about 25 years. And people still love her for it.
“Maybe the strength of connection she forged with so many over the years is to do with her reason for doing it. The simplicity with which she worked her business and her love of the community of people around her was evident in her burgers.”
