A man's remains have been found in a riverbed in central western NSW.

Police said a member of the public discovered the remains in a reserve on Vale Road in South Bathurst about 3.20pm on Thursday.

The body is believed to be that of a 60-year-old man who went missing in Bathurst in June 2012, police said in a statement.

A crime scene has been set up and a post-mortem examination will be conducted to determine the cause of the man's death.