A GROUP of Taylors Lakes students will put their knowledge of Melbourne’s public transport system to the test in a battle against other secondary schools starting next week.

Eight students from Overnewton Anglican Community College will take part in the Great Public Transport Challenge, which has been described as a combination of public transport and orienteering.

“The kids are a bit pumped up thinking it’s a bit like the television show the Amazing Race - they can see themselves running around the place and having a good time,” Overnewton teacher Jessica Zwarts said last week.

The challenge is a joint initiative of public transport provider Metlink and Environment Victoria and aims to promote the use of public transport as an alternative method of getting around as well as caring for the environment.

“It’s about encouraging a sustainable environment by getting students to know how much is accessible by using public transport,” Ms Zwarts said.

“It also gives them experience at working in a team in an external environment and working through planning and all those sorts of skills as well.”

The school will field a four-person girls and boys team in the competition, which is open to secondary students from years seven to 10.

Competitors will use trains, trams and buses in an orienteering challenge to reach markers and chalk-up points throughout the CBD and metropolitan suburbs.

The five teams across five metropolitan regions who accumulate the most points in each of the three heats will advance to the CBD-based final in June.

“We find out on the day where we’re going and what we’re doing,” Ms Zwarts said

“We get a list of checkpoints with questions that we must find the answers to the checkpoints on the course.”

A range of prizes will be up for grabs. The competition starts at the Moonee Valley Racecourse on Friday.