Is this the best job in the world?

[Al-khiyal]

Wanted: Caretaker for island paradise

January 12, 2009 -- There won't be any office watercooler moments and the successful applicant will have to put up with Aussies complaining about the occasional brisk breeze and winter temperatures dropping to 16C.

The chilly newspaper readers of Britain, Scandinavia and America, however, may think this job advert worth a second glance.

Wanted: one "island caretaker", must be able to swim and willing to move to Hamilton Island in Australia's tropical Whitsundays to begin 1 July. Flexible hours, six-month salary of $150,000 (£75,000), non-negotiable.

Caretaking duties do not, island bosses insist, extend to litter-picking and sieving leaves and other detritus from the pool. Instead, the eventual incumbent will be paid to explore the crannies – both on land and underwater – of the Great Barrier Reef's 600 islands, reporting back through a fortnightly internet diary with photos and video. In addition to landing what Tourism Queensland confidently bills as "the best job in the world", the successful applicant will also pick up the keys to a rent-free A$5m villa perched 80 metres up a ravine, overlooking the narrow azure channel where humpback whales migrate in September. Two guest bedrooms and a spa pool deck with similarly spectacular views will no doubt be handy for entertaining overseas visitors or tourists befriended over cocktails at the marina bar. The distractions include the cacophony of cockatoos outside in the pine trees and the hum of the beer fridge.

A Bond villain-esque golf buggy sits idle in the drive, awaiting the arrival of its new owner, who must also become accustomed to travel by powerboat, jet-ski and yacht. Just around the corner, Whitehaven Beach is regularly voted among the top 10 in the world for its 98 per cent pure silica sand.

As expensive public relations wheezes go, the genius of "the best job in the world" lies in its simplicity: a bag of money to live atop an extraordinary 1,200-mile stretch of earth which offers wildlife, watersports and a relaxed, outdoor way of life.

Candidates have until 22 February to apply at islandreef.com - The Best Job In The World, submitting a 60-second (or less) video clip explaining why they should get the job. They must speak English and have "excellent communication skills", a "desire for adventure" and "passion for the outdoors". There is talk of a cut-off point at 30,000 applications – meaning the recruitment consultants will have to watch 500 hours of video clips. Ten shortlisted candidates plus one wildcard, voted for online by the public, will then be invited to a four-day interview, starting on 3 May, on islands dotted along the Great Barrier Reef. They will have to sail, dive, snorkel and generally cuddle up to the local fauna in a series of daunting tasks.

"Everyone knows that the Great Barrier Reef exists but we've found that not many people know about the 600 islands you can visit," the chief executive of Tourism Queensland, Anthony Hayes, said last night as he announced the job vacancy beneath a full moon at Hamilton Island's six-star qualia resort. "So basically, this person will do as much they possibly can and tell the world about it. There are lots of jobs where you might earn a million dollars but life is very short and it's about living."

A lot of tourists visit the reef on day-trips from mainland towns such as Cairns or Airlie Beach, not realising that they could stay on the islands and reach the coral simply by swimming out from their beaches, he said.

[eyad]

What A Job !!!!!!!!


it might orient a new phase for new business !!

[Bent_Bladi]

..................NO!!

[eyad]

sure yes....


im IN

[amalgamate]

remember Bent, men are from mars

most of us ladies refuse to live in the middle of nowhere and call it home!

[Bent_Bladi]

remember Bent, men are from mars

most of us ladies refuse to live in the middle of nowhere and call it home!

lol, just that u can make much more money doing something much more ... fulfilling



sorry i didn't mean to be a kill joy IT'S STILL FREAKIN COOL everyone here is talking about it... .....




............................................................

[amalgamate]

Demand for "best job in the world" crashes website
Jan. 14, 2009

SYDNEY (Reuters) – The chance to be the caretaker of a tiny tropical island in Australia has sparked so much interest around the world that a rush of applications crashed the website advertising the post.

The job, which offers a salary of $105,000 to spend six months on the Great Barrier Reef island of Hamilton, has been inundated with hundreds of thousands of prospective candidates.

An official from the state of Queensland, which is offering the position, said the job was created as an antidote to the global economic slump and was being advertised in 18 countries including the United States and China.

Local media said technicians had to restore the website (The Best Job In The World) after it could not cope with the volume of interest and crashed for several hours. Some sections are still not up and running.

Duties for the so-called "best job in the world" include feeding ocean fish, cleaning a pool and collecting deliveries of mail that arrive by plane.

The successful candidate will have to go scuba diving, snorkeling and hiking and enjoy at least 25 nearby island resorts. Thrown in is a luxury three-bedroom home and transportation to and from the island.

No skills, nor experience is needed, and there is no age requirement. The job starts in July.