More than 140 people gathered to mark the restoration and reopening of the Moa Creek cemetery, also known as the Ida Valley cemetery.
Most were descendants of those buried and the Hodge, McIntosh, Becker, Pullar and Farmer families well represented.
The great-great-grandparents of cemetery trustee Jeff Sawers, of Alexandra, who started the project, are among the 34 people buried at Moa Creek.
"I got involved because I just thought it was an amazing heritage site and didn't want to lose it."
The cemetery, near the old Moa Creek Hotel, is on Crown reserve land and is surrounded by farms.
Graves and headstones were deteriorating and Mr Sawers was concerned about its long-term future.
"I started off asking all the families [of those buried at Moa Creek] for a contribution to place a stock-proof fence around it and an entrance gate and there was such a groundswell of support that the plans soon extended to restoring headstones and graves."
A schist rock wall, with a wrought-iron gate, now marks the entrance to the cemetery.
"That was stage one and then the families provided a substantial sum of money for the remainder of the work to be done."
He declined to say how much money had been raised, but said the whole project had been funded by the families.
"There was a feeling in the community that something needed to be done. I was just the one that pushed the button to get it started," Mr Sawers said.
There are 16 marked graves in the cemetery but 34 people are known to be buried there.
The earliest recorded burial was in 1871 of John Trenbirth.
The wooden marker from his grave had been stored at the nearby Moa Creek Gun Club rooms for safe-keeping.
Two Chinese headstones from the cemetery, which had been stored at Central Stories Museum, have been returned to their original site and cemented in place.
The cemetery was believed to be the burial site for six Chinese, although their bodies were later exhumed and taken back to their homeland.
Several generations of families travelled from throughout New Zealand to celebrate the reopening of the cemetery on Saturday and took part in a service which included a blessing.
"I think we've brought this back from the brink, halting what would have been a loss for Central Otago and the Ida Valley's rich heritage," Mr Sawers said.
The district's pioneers travelled to the area from England, Scotland, Sweden, Germany and China.
The most recent burial was in 1946 and Mr Sawers said the cemetery was reopened for interments, for anyone with a family or local connection.
Cemetery trustee Jill Cameron, of Bannockburn, was "moved and impressed" by what Mr Sawers had achieved.
The cemetery had been neglected in the past but "never had a chance" of remaining that way once Mr Sawers took up the project, she said.
Margaret Priggen (92), of Ranfurly, was one of the oldest descendants at the service.
She said it was wonderful to see the work done at the cemetery and to meet so many relatives.
