Run by Bathurst Youth Council, the event gives the city’s high school students the opportunity to sing or play instruments in front of a live audience.

Bathurst Youth Council mayor Jayne Dwyer, 17, said despite the scorching temperature, there was good turnout to the free event.

“We didn’t expect this many people because it’s so hot, so we’re pretty happy,” she said.

Jayne said there were not many opportunities outside the school environment for young people to perform, with many students not the legal age to perform in licensed venues.

“Many are well-known within their school, and this is to get them out of the school and into the community,” she said.

“There’s 15 acts with different genres ... a lot of it is more of an acoustic feel.”

Among the performers were groups acts, singers and musicians who performed under the shaded rotunda, while audience members milled under the long shadows of the park’s big trees.

Along with the live music was a host of other activities including horizontal bungee and laser skirmish, with food and drink stands doing a roaring trade.

Bathurst headspace was on hand to provide information about services they offer young people. 

“Part of our mental health month  is to get people to look up from their device and get out and do stuff,” Jayne said. “It’s got quite a negative stigma [mental health], so that’s why we are trying to change things.”