The Central Otago Memory Bank is open for ''business'' and the more deposits that are added, the more valuable it will be, its developers say.
The memory bank was identified as one of the projects in the district's heritage strategy and the Central Otago Heritage Trust is carrying out the project as well as ''driving'' the strategy.
Heritage trust chairman Graye Shattky said a grant of more than $20,000 from the Central Lakes Trust meant the bank was able to be formed as quickly as possible.
Terry Davis, secretary of the Otago Goldfields Heritage Trust, has been appointed as memory bank project manager for a year. The part-time role is complementary to his existing one with the goldfields trust.
''The memory bank is a digital archive which offers Central Otago residents and communities an opportunity to securely store memories that might otherwise be lost,'' Mr Shattky said.
''Community groups and individuals with an interest in Central Otago's heritage can use this website to store information, images, stories and recordings, at no cost.''
It is accessible by anyone in the community and ''deposits'' in the form of written material, audio, video, documents or photos are welcome.
''People with an interest in heritage can store documents, photographs, recordings and film clips reflecting the way we lived our lives in times past as well as the present. These reflections tell stories, which collectively and over time will form a rich record of Central Otago's history and heritage.
''The vision is that this will extend in the future and be linked into a nationwide digital archive.''
All sorts of things could be added, from letters, certificates and documents through to reflections on family history. For example, the owners of Pitches Store at Ophir had added the archaeological dig reports from the site to the memory bank.
''The memory bank will get more and more valuable as time goes by and more is added,'' Mr Shattky said. Mr Davis said photos of clubs and schools in the Lowburn district, which used to be stored at the old Lowburn Hall, were another addition to the bank.
''Details about the history of high country stations in the district would also be a fascinating topic to have stored online.
''In years to come, the content in the memory bank will be a great resource for school pupils, university students, anyone interested in the district's heritage. There's a tonne of information in shoeboxes at the back of people's wardrobes which could be added in and saved.''
He is keen to meet community groups to explain the memory bank to them and help them in adding information to the resource.
''We're going to be running workshops, letting groups know this resource is there and telling them how they can get involved.''
Mr Shattky encouraged groups and individuals to contact Mr Davis and have an input into the memory bank.
The district's heritage strategy, which set out aims, objectives and proposed actions for protecting the area's heritage, was developed following a series of community workshops in 2012.
One of the major roles for the heritage trust was to set up a heritage fund for the district, he said.
''Groups can do projects, of course, in their own right, and we're happy to be involved where heritage is concerned and even to act as a vehicle for funding applications and to give them support, or to co-ordinate things so organisations don't double up.''
Mr Davis can be contacted on (03) 445-0111 during office hours or on c.o.memorybank@gmail.com.
