Revenue NSW holds more than a million unclaimed items from private companies, state trustees, local councils and government agencies that can't be returned to the owner because their contact details are out of date and they cannot be tracked down.

Among them is a trust fund containing $132,000 from the estate of former Bathurst man, the late Richard Kenna, that was lodged with the Office of State Revenue after painstaking attempts to locate relatives failed.

Mr Kenna, who was an innkeeper in Bathurst, died on June 20, 1879.

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The Western Advocate revealed in 2013 that Toomey Pegg Lawyers, acting for the trustees of Mr Kenna's estate, had attempted to track down eligible descendants but found none still alive.

However, a quick search of the Office of State Revenue website by the Western Advocate also revealed dozens more smaller sums just waiting to be claimed by Bathurst residents.

They include one Bathurst woman who had seven separate sums, totalling almost $4800, in yearly unpresented cheques from the General Property Trust between 2002-2008 and a Bathurst man owed more than $2500 in a number of unclaimed dividends and unpresented cheques.

Finance Minister Damien Tudehope said a total of $461 million in unclaimed money was sitting with Revenue NSW, including $3,017,682 in claims owed to Central West residents.

"This is a time of year when all families could do with a little extra," Mr Tudehope said.

"COVID-19 has also seen many families tighten their budgets. A quick search could help identify money that is sitting, waiting to be claimed through Revenue NSW, that could be used these Summer holidays.

"This money belongs to the people of NSW and I want to make sure it goes back to them."

Almost $17 million has been paid to claimants since December last year.

"It's quick and easy to check if you have unclaimed money. Simply visit the Revenue NSW website and type your name into the free search tool. If you do find some money, lodge a claim with Revenue NSW and collect your money," Mr Tudehope said.

"It only takes a few minutes and you could walk away with some extra Christmas money in your pocket to spend on loved ones."

The NSW Government holds unclaimed money indefinitely until it is claimed. It includes share dividends, trust accounts, refunds, commissions, deceased estates and money from a range of other sources.