General News
4 November, 2025
Ready, set, race
GREAT Western Primary School students are gearing up once again for the Energy Breakthrough event in Maryborough this November, an initiative that brings together schools, teachers, parents, and local industries to celebrate creativity, teamwork, and sustainable design.
The Energy Breakthrough encourages participants to design and construct vehicles or innovations in technology that represent an “energy breakthrough.”
Teams compete across three categories: Design and Construction, Display and Presentation, and a series of physical trials.
The program has attracted schools from across Victoria and beyond, challenging young minds to think innovatively about energy, recycling, and engineering.
Among the most anticipated events is the Pushcart challenge, a hands-on, high-energy competition where students race homemade machines based on the traditional billy cart through sprints, obstacle courses, and endurance circuits.
Great Western Primary School has been part of the event for the past seven years, and this year’s team is ready to roll into the rally cart division with enthusiasm and months of preparation behind them.
Student Finlay said the project has been a great way to combine environmental awareness with hands-on learning.
“The Energy Breakthrough is about raising awareness for recycling and human-powered vehicles,” she said.
“We try and use lots of recycled materials on our pushcarts. So we used to be able to use recycled seatbelts but eventually that was taken out because it didn't meet safety requirements. But you can use stuff like recycled shade sails. We use it for the backrests to keep our head from going back and to keep our bodies in the cart.”
Classmate Jai explained one of the most challenging parts of the competition are the sprints.
“There are the sprints which is where you have to run. And when you get to the end you've got to flip it, before you flip it the person inside the seat has to get out and hold the seat belt while the person who was pushing it flips it and then they go sprint back down,” he said.
Meanwhile, the endurance race will test the students’ stamina and teamwork over 250 metres, pushing their months of training to the limit.
Rhyland said part of the preparation involved learning valuable real-world skills, including seeking sponsorship.
“With the sponsorship letters this year we had to go in and ask the people if they would like to sponsor us and then we would say thank you,” he said.
“It was really fun because you got to build up your courage to speak out loud and meet new people.”
The school even integrated technology into the preparation process, using spreadsheets to track how far students had run during practice sessions and to manage sponsorships.
Principal Kerri-Ann Harris said the Energy Breakthrough program is a highlight of the school year.
“We are thrilled that we get sponsorship every year and that we can go along because it is such a learning experience for the kids,” she said.
“It’s team building, it’s community involvement, it’s a whole-school program, and we’re really excited to go back and see if we can do better this year.”
With teamwork, creativity, and sustainability at its heart, Great Western’s young racers are ready to make and take their mark once again.
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