Is the dream job at Great Barrier Reef for real?

Check this out : Too good to be true? Wow $150,ooo in 6 months!

http://business.asiaone.com/Business/News/Office/Story/A1Story20090111-113776.html

Tourism Queensland is offering an extremely lucky individual a chance to get what they say is the best job in the world - to be their Island Caretaker.

Essentially, you will be getting paid to explore the islands of the Great Barrier Reef. Sailing, kayaking, snorkelling, diving, and bushwalking, are just some of the activities that you can do on the island.

All you would need to do would be to post a weekly blog, photo diaries, and create video updates to tell the world about the unique experiences available on the islands of the Great Barrier Reef.

You can even bring a friend or relative to stay with you in your own spacious holiday home complete with plunge pools and stunning island views, fully equipped with modern facilities and exquisite furnishings. Naturally, a state-of-the-art entertainment system as well as complete access to the Internet is available.
You'll also get to explore the different tropical islands along the Great Barrier Reef while staying at luxury resorts.

How to apply

Create and upload a 60-second or less video in English explaining why you're the best person for the job and demonstrating your knowledge of the islands of the Great Barrier Reef. You will also need to complete a short application form and upload the video to www.islandreefjob.com.
Ms Lim Mui Khim, Regional Director of Tourism Queensland (Southeast Asia), said, "All applicants will need to submit an application, and if they're shortlisted, they will go through interviews and the employee will be selected based on merit. It is not a competition based on luck or popularity. Being the caretaker of the beautiful Islands of the Great Barrier Reef is truly a dream job. The attractive salary package is the icing on the cake."

All applicants must be at least 18 years of age (as of January 1, 2009) and must be available for a 4-day interview from May 3 to 7, 2009, if selected as one of the final candidates. The employee's six-month contract period will be from July 1, 2009 to January 1, 2010. Applications close on February 22, 2009.

So what's the catch? According to the local Australian papers, candidates need "excellent interpersonal communication skills", "an adventurous attitude" and a "willingness to try new things". They also require at least one year's "relevant experience", fluent English and "good swimming skills".

As lure of the Great Barrier Reef beckons, potential candidates may want to do some reality check. Go ahead and try your luck but take it easy and don't place too much hopes on getting that dream job. Bear in mind that there are many hunks and babes among Aussies and foreigners on visiting visa who are good swimmers, divers and make good advertising models.

http://australianature.blogspot.com/2009/01/great-barrier-reef.html

Having worked and interacted with Aussies, I believe this is clearly a publicity stunt to promote tourism in sunny Queensland. The economic downturn has hit the tourism industry which is highly dependent on visitors mainly from Asia Pacific region, Americas and Europe has been badly hit since last year. Even the arrogant and abrasive customs in the major cities have bowed down to the crunch of falling arrivals, according to feedback of travellers in recent months.

One might also want to note that there has been a rise in the number of shark appearances and attacks on the eastern shores of Australia, Pacific Ocean.