Calling themselves Metal Minds, the group is made up of home-schooled students Harry Heathcote, 15, and Emma Hodgkinson, 14, Damon Ercole, 14, of St Patrick's College, and Alex Mountney, 18, of Newstead College.

Team mentor and dad of one of the participants, Jonathan Heathcote, said the team came together because of their common interest in robotics or desire to learn more, and they were independent of any one school.

The competition will see the participants design, build to certain dimensions and program a robot to carry out tasks.

Mr Heathcote said the competition teaches a broad range of skills including about robotics, design, brain-storming techniques, logistical preparation for the competition and fund-raising.

At the moment the group is using a loan kit from the competition organisers but they would be expected to buy their own before the state competition.

Exact details of what the competition challenges will entail will be released in September.

Mr Heathcote said the group would compete against one other Northern side, Launceston Christian School, and two Southern teams, to go on and take part in the national competition next year.

The small team is looking for sponsors and anyone willing to help or join can email: metalmindsrobotics@gmail.com