Man reunited with his wallet 26 years after he lost it

A man has been reunited with his wallet 26 years after he lost it on a northern NSW beach.

In 1994, Paul Davis spent New Year's Eve partying with friends in the coastal town of Lennox Head.

"It was a pretty hectic night, bit of alcohol involved," he said.

"God only knows."

During the celebrations, Paul realised that he'd lost his brown leather wallet.

"I went on a bit of a mad hectic rush and I couldn't find it," he said.

After it couldn't be found the next morning, Paul cancelled his cards and quickly forgot about it until he got a text message last week.

"I was gobsmacked actually," he said.

Earlier this week, Joseph Bewes and his housemates found Paul's wallet in sand dunes near where he lost it all those years ago.

It was a little sandy and weathered, but still held Paul's medicare and bank cards, along with a $5 note.

"It must have been buried pretty deep in the sand dunes," Joseph said.

"A couple of big swells and storms over the years have brought it back to Paul."

Joseph took to social media in a bid to find the owner, and it was spotted on a community Facebook page by the wife of Paul's cousin.

She alerted him about the miraculous find and brought about the unlikely reunion.

After finally getting it back, Paul has already made plans to make sure he doesn't lose it again.

"I think I might take it in and get it framed up and hang it in the bar or in the house somewhere," he said.