Paul Patten, The Saunders Sisters, Tareik Hart, Robert Canning, Jacob Ridgeway, Jessica Hickey, Kelsi and Riley Phillips, and Hope Labutis-Mays Saunders have all been selected to perform on the main stage at the festival.

The musicians were discovered at open mic sessions held across the Mid North Coast in 2019 as a part of the Made Deadly project.

Run by the Saltwater Freshwater Arts Alliance in partnership with Grow the Music, the Made Deadly project has been running for two years and aims to unearth the region's deadliest Aboriginal musical talent.

It is funded by the NSW Aboriginal Land Council and the NSW Government.

In addition to performing at the Saltwater Freshwater Festival, finalists are offered mentoring with the Grow the Music team and the opportunity to record their songs.

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Pacific Palms photographer Kirk Owers was on hand to document this year's finalists rehearsing for the festival, and he was impressed by what he heard.

"There were some really talented musicians and a lot of different varieties of music," he said.

"What impressed me was how open they were to sharing their knowledge and culture."

Mr Owers previously attended the 2017 Saltwater Freshwater Festival at Coffs Harbour and said it was fantastic to see the event being held in the Great Lakes.

"It's a way to celebrate Australia Day in a very inclusive, positive way," he said.

"I think there'll be a really great vibe."

The Saltwater Freshwater Festival will run at the Forster Sporting Complex in Lake Street from 10am through to 8pm, and in addition to live music, it will also feature foodstalls, an arts and craft market, and cultural workshops in canoes, dance, weaving and language.