Burke, of Mt Aspiring College, clocked 15min 52sec over the 4km race at the Gladfield Golf Club, which surprised even her.
''I didn't know how I would do,'' Burke said.
''I just tried to start fast and keep going and see what I could do. I'm happy. I surprised myself.''
The result means Burke will compete in the Australian cross country championships, which encompass the secondary schools event, in Melbourne in August.
While it is perhaps unfair to compare times from other courses, Burke's time was 13sec quicker than that clocked by former Columba College pupil Hanna English when winning the senior girls title in Palmerston North a year ago.
Burke made a ''bad start'' to the race, and had to exert herself early to weave her way through the pack.
She eventually settled into fifth place, and briefly passed Ari Graham (16), of St Andrew's College, in the final kilometre.
However, Graham saw off Burke's challenge with a quick counterattack to finish three seconds ahead in fourth place.
Isabella Richards (17), of St Kentigern College, went from finishing third a year ago to winning this year's event in 15min 15sec.
Richards and Kelsey Forman (17), last year's runner up, battled it out at the front for the majority of the race, before Richards surged out to handy lead in the last kilometre.
Grace Wood (17, St Kentigern College) finished third in 15min 38sec, 16sec behind Forman in the 119 strong field.
