About 8000 people poured into ADFA for its 2012 open day to see live displays from navy clearance divers, military working dogs and the precision drill team.

Chief instructor at ADFA, Lieutenant Colonel Brad Kilpatrick, said the RAAF formation aerobatic display team, the Roulettes, also impressed the crowd. ''The live displays always get big crowds, the ground-based section attack was very popular,'' he said. ''We had a large turn out from Canberra and from other parts of the country.

''It was mostly people at the end of their high school careers attending with parents who were looking for information about careers in the military - in the three services.

''A lot of the questions we were asked were in relation to the degrees we offer and the training given and skills required.''

The open day started at 9am with a demonstration of the naval light jackstay, better known as the flying fox, which was repeated later in the morning and afternoon.

There were information sessions covering everything from how to become a pilot to understanding the Special Forces selection process.

Visitors could also check out the above-pool obstacle course demonstration and have a go at an annual favourite - a game of noughts and crosses with a submerged, wetsuit wearing navy clearance diver.