Community & Business
3 October, 2025
CSHS performs ‘amazingly well’
Clifton State High School’s (CSHS) human powered vehicle (HPV) team has excelled in its debut at the Australian HPV Super Series, finishing in third place out of nearly 90 secondary schools.
The team of ten students, eight boys and two girls, were joined by some parents and CSHS staff Matt McCurdy and Keiran Carson for the annual competition in Murray Bridge, South Australia.
The teachers said it was a “bloody great effort” by the hard working students.
“Every single one of them worked their hearts out,” Mr Carson said.
“As a team, they got together, supported each other and did their absolute best.”
“Some of the teams that they beat have been national champions in the past,” Mr McCurdy said.
The goal for the team was to be the best performing from Queensland, with the other teams not representing one school but being composites of the best students from multiple schools.
“We were significantly stronger than every other team from Queensland.”
An emerging sport in Queensland, HPV is very popular in Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia, with each state sending many school and community teams, which are comprised of adults.
The CSHS team, with its vehicle adorned with ’Clifton Queensland’ to honour the town, completed 534 laps in 24 hours to finish in third place for schools behind Pembroke School and Norwood International High School, both in Adelaide.
The distance of 534 laps is 921 kilometres, further than travelling from Clifton to Sydney.
Unlike other teams in the category the team was facing off against, the CSHS side had only ten riders of the maximum twelve, two of whom were girls.
Mr McCurdy said the other school teams that finished in the top ten had twelve riders who were all boys, making Clifton’s achievement all the more remarkable.
“No one was a weak link,” Mr Carson said.
The Australian HPV Super Series marked the end of this year’s competition and training.
Seven of the ten riders who went to South Australia will be leaving school this year so there will be lots of new faces in next year’s program.
Despite leaving school, this could be the start of a long passion for the sport with some of the students planning on competing in community teams in the future.
“We have excellent riders coming in from year 10 and 11,” Mr Carson said.
Mr McCurdy said it all would not have been possible without strong community support.
Many local people and businesses provided donations and bought raffle tickets in support, as well as many volunteers giving up their time.
“We really want to thank the community for getting behind the team,” he said.
“The weekend would have cost over $10,000 once you factor in flights, transport and everything else.
“Watch this space because we’ll be back bigger and better next year.”
