OSBORNE, Betty Joan

Betty was born in Melbourne on the 24th day of April 1939 as Betty Joan Dale.

Betty’s school days included Melbourne, Rockhampton, Cloncurry, Cooktown and Blackheath College in Charters Towers. Betty then undertook her nursing career at Royal Brisbane Hospital in 1955 where she completed all nursing up to her final triple certificate and midwifery level.

In 1956 Betty met her future husband Brian Osborne from the Brisbane suburb of Windsor. Brian was a concreter and a builder. In 1960 Brian and Betty married and shortly after she joined with Brian in their building and property development company Osborne Constructions Pty Ltd. Over the next twenty years their company purchased land, designed, built and sold just over 2500 strata home units in the Brisbane and Sunshine Coast areas. During this period Brian and Betty extended their family with their three children, Kerry Lea (now Glowney), Glenn, and Jeffrey. Their family home was in Aspley for 38 years.

In December 1980 Brian and Betty purchased Tangalooma Island Resort on Moreton Island. The Resort then employed 27 people. Under Betty and Brian’s stewardship Tangalooma Island Resort has now grown into an icon of Queensland and Australian tourism, currently employing 355 staff, and hosting over 300,000 guests per year who visit or stay at the Resort.

Betty was instrumental in establishing the Resort’s world-famous wild dolphin care and education program. She spent many dark cold nights along with her team wading out to attend to the dolphins in the feeding program. All of Betty’s three children and six grandchildren now proudly work and manage Tangalooma Island Resort across the varied Resort operations, launch services and building programs.

Sadly almost 10 years ago Betty was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. Brian and Betty then moved to Hamilton. Betty still worked tirelessly for Tangalooma until Alzheimer's took its toll and she had to retire from her working life in 2014. Since 2010 to now, Betty and Brian have continued to live in their Hamilton apartment.

Brian engaged a team of wonderful carers to help Betty with her difficulties during her everyday life at home up until her passing on 26 January 2021.

Brian, along with his family; Kelcey and Braden (Kerry and Chris), Jacob (Glenn and Leisa), Olivia, Jemima, Hugh (Jeff and TK) all miss Betty dearly but with broken hearts we know that she would want us to move on and keep Tangalooma Island Resort and her beloved dolphin program moving upwards and onwards for all to enjoy.

As per Betty’s personal wishes a private family funeral has been held.