Great Barrier Reef hosts first musical festival for Australian heroes

Heroes from across Australia converged on a Great Barrier Reef pontoon packed with famous musicians and TV stars after being nominated by their communities for exceptional bravery and generosity.

The miniature music festival on Moore Reef, partially funded by the Queensland and Australian governments, featured country legend Lee Kernaghan, Australian band Sheppard, 2024 Golden Guitar New Talent of the Year Max Jackson and hiphop duo Kairos Kin.

The April 27 festival was a free event celebrating the bravery many Queenslanders showed during devastating floods and storms connected to Tropical Cyclones Kirrily and Jasper.

One laconic hero said he "bailed out in the middle of the night" after the flood waters reached his home. The Daintree man helped elderly neighbours to his tinnie before finding refuge for the survivors in a nearby resort's laundry room.

It wasn't just Queensland legends at 'Savannah Sounds on the Reef'. Charity workers, volunteers and environmental campaigners were flown into Cairns from around the country for the tropical festival.

Former Australian of the Year Lee Kernaghan said: "I'm proud to be a part of Savannah Sounds on the Reef to acknowledge all the community heroes across the country who lean in to support their fellow Aussies when volunteering in the times their help is most needed.

"I can't think of a better way to celebrate these true national heroes than putting on an awesome gig for them on the Great Barrier Reef in Tropical North Queensland," the four-time ARIA winner said.

Sheppard, the Australian band behind the earworm hit Geronimo, was also excited to perform on the reef's first music festival.

"Playing on what might just be the world's most stunning stage, with breathtaking views of one of the seven wonders of the world - it'll be the experience of a lifetime," the pop band said.

Festival guests also had the opportunity to don a wetsuit and snorkel to gaze at the beautiful reef beneath the water's surface.

The floating festival on Reef Magic's state-of-the-art research pontoon was not an easy event to produce, Sounds Australia festival organiser James Dein said.

"Everything was measured and planned with exacting detail," he said.

This planning included testing the affects of bass vibrations on the reef ecosystems before the festival went ahead.

To one marine biologist's amusement, some of the fish "seemed a little more curious than normal" during Mr Kernaghan's performance.

Mr Dein said the free event, as well as it's "big sister" festival 'Savannah in the Round', employs as many Far North Queenslanders as possible.

The events "shine a spotlight" on talented performers and crew members who live in the area.

The acts featured on the pontoon will return to Tropical North Queensland's annual country music festival in the Cairns Hinterland town of Mareeba from October 11 to 13.

They will be joined by US country music singer and songwriter Kip Moore, the Living End, Hoodoo Gurus and Vika and Linda.

ACM's reporter travelled to FNQ as a guest of Tourism Tropical North Queensland.