How’d you like to be paid more than $100,000 to explore one of the most beautiful natural coral reefs in the world for half a year—and tell the world about it?

Well the job is yours, if you can stand up to the competition—and if you can access the application Web site, which has crashed due to overload from interested parties.

Over 200,000 people visited Australia’s Tourism Queensland Web site in the 24 hours after the organization posted the “Best Job in the World” last weekend, and so far 200 have applied.

The requirements are simply to explore the islands of the Great Barrier Reef, swim and snorkel in the crystal-clear waters, go bushwalking, clean the pool and occasionally talk (in English) to the media via video and blogs about the experience.

The idea was conceived by Tourism Queensland as a way to encourage visitors to come to the region. The hope is that the publicity generated by the job will turn tourists on to the unique appeal of the Great Barrier Reef, and encourage the ever-shrinking pool of recession-afflicted visitors to choose Australia.

Aside from the generous salary, perks of the six-month-long job include free accommodation in an oceanfront luxury home on Hamilton Island, and free airfare from the winner’s home country.

The application period closes on February 22, and a winner is expected to be chosen in May from among a handful of short-listed candidates.

Related Links: Agence France-Presse, Associated Press, Queensland Tourism

By Karen Elowitt for PeterGreenberg.com.

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