Fifty-four qualifying athletes from the Rip Curl GromSearch series will be joined by 18 wildcards, such as the South Coast duo - with Wishart being hand-picked by Culburra Beach's two-time world champion Tyler Wright.

"We are stoked to be welcoming some of the best junior surfers from around the country to Victoria," said Surfing Victoria CEO Adam Robertson.

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"There is some incredible talent in the field and no doubt many of these surfers will go on to be World Tour athletes in the years to come."

Former Rip Curl GromSearch national champion and current Australasia WSL Qualifying Series leader Molly Picklum (Central Coast) will be joining the groms at the event.

"I can't wait to come and check out the groms ripping in the pool," Picklum said.

"The Rip Curl GromSearch series is so much fun.

"It was the competition I most looked forward to when I was younger."

The event format will see all competitors get four waves in qualifying (two lefts and two rights) where the top left and right wave will count to their total.

The top four surfers from this opening round will go through to the final where surfers will get eight total waves (two left turns, two left tube, two right turn and two right tube).

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Champions will be decided based on surfers' best left turn, left tube, right turn and right tube.

Gerringong's Wishart will contest the under 16 girls division, where she will come up against Emily McGettigan (Torquay), Ellie Harrison (Barwon Heads), Mia Huppatz (Jan Juc), Milli Allport (Central Coast), Cedar Leigh-Jones (Avalon), Lilliana Bowrey (Noosa), Coco Cairns (Noosa), Charlotte Mulley (Miami), Bonnie Hills (Coffs Harbour), Poppy Corbet (Phillip Island) and Charlize Everitt (Boomerang).

While Kiama's Cairncross is in the under 12 girls, where she will battle Sophie Wilkinson (Rye), Sara Hickson (Rye), Maeve Wilkinson (Inverloch), Quincy Symonds (Yamba), Oceana Curtis (Lennox Head), Ruby Trew (Curl Curl), Stella Green (Buddina), Oli Taylor (Peregian Beach), Mila Du Preez (Currumbin), Maia Tate (South Australia) and Olive Hardy (Margaret River) for the title.

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