When supervisors realised they needed more people to remove spare parts worth $10 million from the former Royal Australian Navy destroyer Brisbane they called in the "reserves."

Six well-trained technicians were soon on their way from Queensland, Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania and country NSW to Fleet Base East in Sydney to help with the mammoth project.

They were members of the Royal Australian Navy Reserve.

Two had been Reservists all their lives while the other four had been full time members of the RAN, done "their time" and moved across to the Reserves.

All were technically skilled, something needed for the strip-down of the 4,700 tonne warship.

The project will give each man several weeks work.

"It will enable them to maintain their technical skills," LCDR Kevin Drinkwater, the liaison officer for the project said.

"Their presence will also ease the workload on FIMA/Sydney," he added.

The veteran warship, once spare parts and memorabilia are removed, and she is devoid of environment threatening substances, will be sunk as a dive site off Queensland.