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The Best Job in the World


Farin

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Australia offers up 'best job': lounge in paradise

[smaller]AP | 01/13/09 | Link[/smaller]

SYDNEY, Australia (AP) — Position: Island caretaker. Duties: Lazing around Australia's Great Barrier Reef for six months. Salary: 150,000 Australian dollars ($100,000).

Unemployed, take heart — the aforementioned job ad is for real. Billing it the "Best Job in the World," the tourism department in Australia's Queensland state on Tuesday said it was seeking one lucky person to spend half a year relaxing on Hamilton Island, part of the country's Whitsunday Islands, while promoting the island on a blog.

The move is part of a AU$1.7 million campaign to boost tourism in the state. In exchange for the plush salary, free accommodation in an oceanfront villa and airfare from the winner's home country, the "employee" will be required to stroll the island's white sand beaches, snorkel, maybe take a dip in the pool — and post photos and videos of his or her experiences on a weekly blog.

"It'll be huge," Tourism Whitsundays chief executive Peter O'Reilly said, adding he expected thousands will apply.

Applications are open until Feb. 22 and 11 finalists will be flown to Hamilton Island in May for the final selection process. The job begins on July 1.

On the Net:

* Best Job in the World: http://www.islandreefjob.com/

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  • 1 month later...

and that's okay, because I'm going to have all my classmates rate it from different computers in the lab, so it's all different people, no? :) :)

edit: I don't honestly thing that has much to do with it anyway... I think the folks on the Board short list these themselves, and then after that there's a chance it'll come down to an actual vote by the public.

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There's only 18,000 or so people that I have to beat to have a shot at this. No problem. :beatnik:

:grin:

You know what that means? Bad News for the other 17,999.

You have a worldwide network here at SF. For those inclined to do so, promote Shawna on Facebook, MySpace or other mechanisms of the young. As for me, I just sent messages by Pony Express, carrier pigeon and telegraph.

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Word is that the select few who are being considered for the short list have been contacted. I have shaken my e-mail box and roughed up the post man, and still nothing. *sigh*

this must mean that the Aussies are not as charmed by me as I am. I am henceforth staging a protest. :soapbox: Boycott Australia!

Just kiddin'. ;) I want to go there too bad to ever boycott!!

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'World's Best Job' Web site flooded in final hours

Australia – A lucky 200 people have been shortlisted for the chance to become the caretaker of a tropical Australian island, dubbed by promoters as the "Best Job in the World."

But tourism officials acknowledged Friday that many last-minute applications were lost because the Web site was flooded with traffic.

Nearly 35,000 people submitted video applications for the job with Tourism Queensland, which pays a salary of 150,000 Australian dollars ($97,000) to relax on Hamilton Island in the Great Barrier Reef for six months while writing a blog to promote the island.

The job is part of a AU$1.7 million campaign to publicize the charms of northeastern Queensland state.

Anthony Hayes, Tourism Queensland's chief executive, said a wave of 7,500 applications hit the Web site in the 72 hours before Monday's deadline.

"This massive amount of traffic understandably slowed the site down and regretfully some people weren't able to get their video application in on time," he said. "It has been frankly heartbreaking because people have gone to so much trouble, and we have lost some fantastic applications. But to be fair to everyone, we have to be consistent."

The tourism board will announce 50 finalists Tuesday on its Web site. The public will then have until March 24 to vote for their favorite applicant.

The top vote-getter and 10 other people chosen by the tourism board will be flown to Hamilton Island for interviews. The winner will be announced May 6, and the job begins July 1.

___

On the Net:

Best Job in the World: http://www.islandreefjob.com/

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