KINGSCLIFF resident Chris Harding doesn't want a fuss made about her actions, but by returning a lost purse and its contents - $1000 in cash - she has restored at least one woman's faith in others.

She is also hoping to encourage acts of goodwill and thoughtfulness throughout the community because, she said, it is important to "be a little bit kind”.

Ms Harding, who works in aged care in Lismore, was at Kingscliff Shopping Village last week when she found the wallet abandoned in the women's toilets.

This week, the shopping centre's management team rewarded Ms Harding for her quick thinking and honest response with $200, two bottles of shiraz, and "the biggest bunch of flowers I've ever had in my life”.

Ms Harding said she had spotted the wallet when she was in the bathroom.

"I went into the bathroom and saw the wallet and had a quick race around, and I realised someone would be in a panic for it,” she said.

After checking its contents, she discovered the owner lived in Pottsville, but as she was unable to find a contact number she drove to the owner's house and left a message with a neighbour, eventually returning the wallet the next day.

"She is one of the loveliest ladies you could meet,” Ms Harding said.

"She must have been so upset and she was so happy to know she was getting it back. She told me that when I returned her wallet, it restored her faith in people. But that's just what should be done anyway.”

Kingscliff Shopping Village operations manager John Miller described Ms Harding as "one of the kindest and most honest people around”.

"She was in a hurry due to work and drove to Pottsville to leave a note for the owner to say she had the purse, then she drove back to return it the next day,” he said.