Tumbrella

Six months simply isn’t long enough to fully explore the Whitsunday Islands, according to the man with the so-called best job in the world, Ben Southall.

The Englishman, who beat 34,000 other applicants to be named Tourism Queensland’s island caretaker, getting paid $150,000 to live in luxury in the Whitsundays for half a year, has declared there will be a new competition to find four mates to join him, and his Canadian girlfriend Bre Watkins, on Hamilton Island.

While much of Ben’s job has involved dealing with the media, his first month in Queensland has seen him sailing around the Whitsundays, going diving and enjoying scenic flights.

But covering all the islands “is an impossible task for just one person to achieve,” said Ben. “I’m really excited to find four friends to help me explore the islands and guest post on my blog.”

Details of how to win the dream trip are expected to be announced on Ben’s blog by the end of August, with the four winners in line for a two month, all expenses paid holiday on the Great Barrier Reef.

All the winners will have to do in return is post a few photos and videos on the internet.

At least one of the winners, it has been revealed, will be picked at random from the entrants.

Even Queensland premier Anna Bligh has got involved. She said: “These four mates will have the holiday of a lifetime. They won’t get a salary, but gee they’ll have a lot of fun.”

The original, much-lauded best job in the world publicity campaign is thought to have boosted visitor numbers to the area by 20 per cent.

Check out Ben’s blog at www.islandreefjob.com for more information.

Read our interview with Ben here.