Gretta Buckingham, secretary of the South Catlins Development and Environment Charitable Trust, estimated about 500 people came to build sand castles and dig for prizes, and said the event "was very successful".
Of 175 canisters buried, 174 were found, she said.
Prizes were donated by South Catlins businesses, and included $100 cash, and a night's free accommodation at a local guest house.
The big dig is a trust initiative started in 2003 to help raise funds for the Curio Bay Project, which aims to upgrade the camping grounds, develop tourist attractions and build a heritage centre.
The project is expected to cost about $5 million, and Mrs Buckingham estimated about $1800 was raised on Saturday.
"We need to keep it going because we don't have all the funds we need."
The biggest issues for the Curio Bay Holiday Park were upgrading sewerage and wastewater services.
"We are trying to get resource consent to upgrade," she said.
Val Whyte has been managing the Curio Bay Holiday Park with Steve Hill for four years.
She said the park had 14 powered sites and space for up to 200 tents, but visitor interest was increasing by about 20% a year.
"There aren't the facilities to accommodate the numbers we are getting. When the weather becomes inclement, there is no common room. There is nowhere for people to go."
Before any extra facilities were added, the sewerage system needed to be upgraded, she said.
The trust recently bought 15ha of land containing native bush, opposite the petrified forest.
The trust planned to develop walkways through the bush, and encourage yellow-eyed penguins to nest in the area.
Besides the penguins, Hectors dolphins used the bay as a nursery, and holiday park visitors were often visited by sea lions.
