Best Job in the World

Wikipedia Commons 0 0F Hamilton Island (Laurence Grayson)

Help wanted: Spend six months working for Tourism Queensland as "caretaker" and resident blogger on an island in Australia's Great Barrier Reef. Compensation is $105,000 and housing in a three-bedroom villa with a pool. From AFP (image of the view from Hamilton Island by Flickr user laurence_grayson via Wikipedia):

"They'll also have to talk to media from time to time about what they're doing so they can't be too shy and they'll have to love the sea, the sun, the outdoors," said acting state Premier Paul Lucas.

"The fact that they will be paid to explore the islands of the Great Barrier Reef, swim, snorkel and generally live the Queensland lifestyle makes this undoubtedly the best job in the world."

"Australia offers 'best job in world' on paradise island" (AFP), Best Job in the World (intermittently down)

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wolfiesma

The song got took down! See! Why did that happen?
mdh

You have my vote Ben. Well, you would. Bravo.
Stuart Ellis

They’ve had so many apply, that their server crashed.

http://www.reuters.com/article/oddlyEnoughNews/idUSTRE50D15K20090114
Anonymous

@#3

No need, universal health care cover in Australia.
Takuan

still works for me.
arkizzle

Have passport. Will travel.
Evil Jim

And here I thought the best job would be being paid to have sex with beautiful people.
JayByrd

Whoever it was at Tourism Queensland who thought this up deserves a million-dollar raise! The total tonnage of free publicity it generated is amazing.
spencerspadey

i had that job. It sucked. that’s why they’re advertising no local would do it… they should buy a monkey instead.

you have to get out of bed every day. i mean every fucking day. and you have to talk to all these people. i mean shitbags you know? and if you don’t they get mad. they take your picture too. fuck that. you will be a puppet. i mean fuck it seriously you know what i mean? its a joke. good luck.
Simon Cameron

That IS a pretty sweet job.
Takuan

think of the risk. Unless they use twins,what happens when the caretaker steps on a stonefish or swallows an Irukandji?
Piers W

#21 JayByrd
#32 Mr_Staypuft

Spot on. Classic example of viral advertising. I bet there are bleary eyed Aussies in some small ad agency still cracking open bottles of Coonawarra Sparkling Shiraz as we speak.
Takuan

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601080&sid=an4reKqp6cEM&refer=asia
Takuan

…oh all right!… (I’m just jealous)
Brainspore

Yeah, but do they provide health insurance in case you get a heart attack from pure awesomeness?
revlucio

@4:

1) The amount is already translated for you, it’s $150,000 AUD (and to think us Aussies had almost reached parity a year ago!)

2) Who cares?

3) Spent a week in July up in Hamilton Island last year. It would be worth it for half the price.
wolfiesma

They put the song back up just to fuck with me. They don’t want me to know that I’m on to them. Oh, but I am.
RockDoggy

Question 1) What does $105,000 translate to in USD? I could look it up, but I’m too damned lazy.

Question 2) What time of year?

Question 3) Does this island have a “winter” that would be less than idyllic?

Food for thought. Still a killer job.
Profession

I’m in…if I can ever get on the website.
wolfiesma

No reason, really.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IWJDLgfzNgQ
Banksynergy

@4 – Winter in Queensland is horrid. It actually goes from ‘hot’ to ‘warm’! Expect winter to get low temps of about about 64 degrees F.
gtron

could we have a contest here to see who guesses closest to the actual number of applicants? (i guess it will be determined by ability to upload, since everyone has a cellphone camera) I’ll start:
1,897,023 entrants. Ant to the winner, don’t swim directly above a Stingray in a threatening manner…
Takuan

…just a jealous guyyyy
Gilbert Wham

Can’t stand the beach. Can haz job in miserable castle?
Daemon

Too hot and firewally for me in australia. Give me the equivalent job in any major Japanese city, and I’m in.
W. James Au

Hey, the job description says I have to punch a series of numbers into an old computer every 108 minutes, WTF is that all about?
Justin France

This makes me sick, it really does.

Not as sick as putting up with fat, yobbo morons – both the local and tourists – but what a farce.

I suppose they should push everyone to traipse across the GBR before it dries up and turns white.
gadgetophile

Yeah nah, Australia has far too many things that bite you and then you die. Sharks, spiders, snakes. Even the Platypus is venomous.
Godot

“Do you have a criminal record?”

Will my chances increase if I reply “yes”?
This is Australia, after all.
buddy66

“Still a killer job.”

Exactly. Every other living thing, in or out of the water, in Australia tries to kill you.

Got anything in the San Juans?
vamidus

R-E-D-R-U-M!

..

REDRUM!!!
Ethan

The $105k is US dollars (it’s $150k Australian).
arkizzle

Vamidus FTW!
Takuan

perhaps anyone who sees the Great Barrier Reef will be moved to do everything they can to preserve it.
dculberson

I predict a lot of applications for this job.
Anonymous

got a job like this somewhere it is snowy all the time?!
Mr_Staypuft

This has been an *awesome* advertising campaign.

If only “Tourism Australia” had half the clue that “Tourism Queensland” obviously has.

Minimal investment, maximium worldwide advertising.
Respect.
melissadawnonline

applicant worth watching and voting for:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5zjwd3N_xY
Takuan

looked at the form, seems easy. You have to be pretty though.
Anonymous

This is the complete exact opposite of my job now. In case you can’t get that, my jobs sucks the worst suckiness in all of the world. I’d leave my job in a hummingbird’s heartbeat.
FoetusNail

And you would be right, DCulberson.

From Reuters:
Demand for “best job in the world” crashes website
gadgetophile

But Mr Staypuft, where the bloody hell are you?!
Ben For Best Job

Thanks :) I hope I can count on others !
Takuan

they’d be better off just hiring a professional actor – maybe they are.
arkizzle

#24 Takuan
“…oh all right!… (I’m just jealous)”

Well done mister. It takes a big cephalopod to admit his true feelings.

Now, who wants iced-virgins?

me me me!
Ben For Best Job

Hi I am Ben, a young Frenchy of 23 years old.

I decided ton build a strong only awarness around my application.

Visit my blog http://www.benforbestjob.com to see my application video for the Best Job In the World.

You will also discover every step of my application.

Hope to see you soon !
(don’t hesitate to leave comments !)

Ben.