The carnival-like atmosphere reeled in the crowds with hundreds filing through Sherwood Park on Sunday to see first-hand what courses the university offered and how the campus functioned.

Live music and free food were also on offer in the university’s newly-refurbished cafeteria area with teenagers and their parents sifting through brochures and course guidebooks.

Deakin University vice chancellor Jane den Hollander said marine science, nursing and commerce were the top courses of interest during the five-hour event.

“Marine biology at the Warrnambool campus is internationally-recognised and therefore attracts a wide range of interest,” Professor den Hollander said.

“Although the open day is about prospective students, we also like to encourage people with younger families, anyone really, to see the university for themselves.

“Someone made a comment to me about how impressed they were with the student accommodation overlooking the Hopkins River which is only a year old. The cafeteria/bar area is also new and improved.”

Deakin Warrnambool campus head Gerry Quinn said the university wanted to strengthen ties with the wider south-west community. 

“We’re a university for south-west Victoria and increasingly more students are going online to study off-campus through the Cloud (internet),” Professor Quinn said.

“We have a unique location on the Hopkins River with a golf course and rolling hills on our doorstep.

“When visitors come from Melbourne, Bendigo and elsewhere, they comment on how picturesque and spacious it is here.”

Professor Quinn said while marine biology and nursing were established courses on campus, there was increased interest in newer options.

“There’s been interest in law, arts and courses associated with those two streams of study,” he said.

Information was also provided about Deakin courses at the university’s Waurn Ponds, Geelong Waterfront and Burwood campuses. The two Geelong sites are open to the public on August 9 while the Burwood campus will be on show August 23.