The annual competition provides an opportunity for schools and local industry to work together to design and construct a vehicle that is energy efficient.

All teams must compete across three areas - design and construction, display and presentation, and trials.

Girton completed 692 laps in their vehicle Xception to win first place, nudging out Ballarat students Rode Rage in second and Bendigo Senior Secondary College in third.

Read more: Bendigo's Girton Grammar claims dramatic Energy Breakthrough win

White Hills Primary School also took out the 16-hour Human Powered Vehicle Primary Trial. Its team EcoRush completed 369 laps for a total of 409 kilometres.

"Schools came from across the state and beyond - country, city, big and small schools," Energy Breakthrough Committee Chairperson Hugh Delahunty said.

"Congratulations to all participants for a great four days of innovation, determination and passion."

Multiple schools were not able to travel to the event on Thursday due to Code Red conditions. But Mr Delahunty said there was minimal disruption to the event's schedule.

"After a difficult start due to the weather, we enjoyed a great three days of human endurance," he said.

Marist College were among those that headed back to Bendigo shortly after arriving at Maryborough on Wednesday in light of the Code Red fire danger.

They returned to the Energy Breakthrough once the conditions had eased.

"We couldn't do this without the parents," team manager Nicole Klicki said. "We camp Wednesday through to Sunday. So it's a massive commitment."

Marist saw a marked improvement in results for its primary grades five and six team, which came 60th last year.

Ms Klicki said performances from the years seven and eight team, and years nine and 12 team, were also strong.

Eaglehawk Secondary College's Warick Dundas said this year's Energy Breakthrough had been awesome, with one of the most positive vibes within the team that he had experienced.

The support came despite challenges.

"The senior trike had a huge number of mechanical issues but we still kept going," Mr Dundas said. "We had a lack of riders but we got there."

The steering system on the senior trike broke twice. In both instances, Mr Dundas said Terang Secondary College came to the rescue.

Read more: Teamwork reigns supreme at 2019 Bendigo HPV/EEV Grand Prix

"They repaired and welded the trike twice to keep us on the track," he said. "It's just that community feel. Even though it's competitive and you want to win, anywhere along pit lane people will help."

Creek Street Christian College also competed in the 2019 Energy Breakthrough.

The school's HPV coordinator James Dunstan said Team White Line Fever's success was the result of two years of hard work and dedication.

"We finished second last year and this year we won the Vic Series," Mr Dunstan said.

He said excellence in the Energy Breakthrough involved a lot of late nights working on the vehicle, lots of training, and dedication from the students, their parents and school staff.

The 24-hour endurance race result accounts for half of the overall grade.

Have you signed up to the Bendigo Advertiser's daily newsletter and breaking news emails? You can register below and make sure you are up to date with everything that's happening in central Victoria.