SummerSalt Festival Brings Iconic Aussie Bands To Mackay

SummerSalt is set to shine in 2025, announcing a new show in Mackay, coming to Harrup Park for the first time. This dazzling event features an iconic, all-Aussie line-up of music greats, promising a vibrant celebration of Australian talent with Missy Higgins, Birds of Tokyo, Fanning Dempsey National Park, The Waifs, The Whitlams, and Josh Pyke.

Since its debut, SummerSalt has become a premier outdoor festival across Australia, known for bringing world-class Australian and international artists to locations nationwide. This event brings feel-good music to vibrant destinations, creating an unforgettable, family-friendly atmosphere ideal for making cherished memories. It’s the perfect place to soak up the sunshine, with live music and a vibrant setting.

Missy Higgins is one of Australia’s most beloved singer/songwriters. She has struck a deep and enduring chord with her irresistible melodies, “Arrow Through the Heart”, and classic songs like “Scar,” “The Special Two,” “Steer,” “Everyone’s Waiting,” and “Futon Couch.”

Formed in Perth in the early 2000s, Birds of Tokyo have grown from independent roots to become one of Australia’s most popular contemporary rock bands. Since their 2008 breakthrough Universes, all five of the group’s albums have reached the ARIA Top 3, including two #1 hits: March Fires (2013) and Human Design (2021). Classic songs like “Good Lord,” “Plans,” “Lanterns,” “Two of Us,” “Brace,” and “Unbreakable” have all been Top 10 airplay hits, with more than seventy of their tracks featured on Triple J, making them one of the National Youth Broadcaster’s three most played artists of this millennium.

Bernard Fanning and Paul Dempsey are two of the most revered and successful Australian artists of the last 30 years. The esteemed pair have launched a new project, Fanning Dempsey National Park, and announced their debut album, The Deluge, out now. They’ve crafted a bold sound, with the sonic guiding principle of synthesizers edging out guitars. While you may hear the tangled DNA of Powderfinger and Something For Kate in vivid flashes, the electronic washes, synth arpeggiators, and motoric rhythms bring new skin to the game.

From their inception, The Waifs traversed Australia playing every small town with a local paper, a local radio station, a pub or hall that would host live music, and someone willing to listen. Constant touring laid a broad foundation, while their musical chemistry and relatable lyrics solidified a lifelong, dedicated fan base.

The Whitlams’ bittersweet storytelling and rollicking performances have made them one of Australia’s most successful touring and recording acts since the mid-1990s, when they single-handedly brought piano back onto the indie airwaves. Over the course of their storied history, they have released five platinum and gold-selling albums in a row, including the beloved Eternal Nightcap, which captured the hearts of a generation with its famous opener, ARIA Song of the Year “No Aphrodisiac.”

Tim Freedman is riding a new wave of energy, releasing two new albums since 2022, Sancho and the Americana-influenced Kookaburra, and has toured the nation seven times in his various lineups in the last three years.

Josh Pyke is one of Australia’s premier singer/songwriters, known for his ability to weave intelligent lyrics with warm melodies and quirky song structures. Josh’s breakthrough single, “Middle of the Hill,” made it to #19 on Triple J’s 2005 Hottest 100 countdown and appeared on his debut release, a mini-album entitled Feeding The Wolves.

What: SummerSalt 2025
When: Saturday 3rd May 2025
Where: Harrup Park, Mackay
Tickets: www.ticketmaster.com.au

Missy Higgins
Birds of Tokyo
Fanning Dempsey National Park
The Waifs
The Whitlams
Josh Pyke. Photos supplied