Instagram Dog Shows Off Queensland, Australia

Lest you think that cat pictures dominate the internet, this week the Queensland, Australia Instagram account is being managed by a dog. Jester is a six-month old Weimaraner from Hamilton island (close to the Great Barrier Reef), and he is kicking off a new campaign to show Queensland from a local’s perspective. Jester will be snapping photos until September 15, but you can also follow him @jestergull after his week is up. Each week the photo stream will be managed by a local in a different region, look out for photographer Nathan White on the Capricorn coast, and Moreton Island park ranger Keiran Lusk in the coming weeks.

Follow Jester and other Queenslanders on Instagram @Queensland.

This isn’t Queensland’s first creative way of reaching potential visitors — they held the famous Best Job in the World contest in 2009, now spun off into multiple jobs around Australia.

The ‘Best Job In The World’ Is Available (Again)

Tourism Australia has done it again, offering up their “Best Job In The World” campaign for yet another year. The organization has teamed up with industry and State and Territory tourism partners to offer six jobs with a yearly salary package of $100,000 Australian dollars, including living costs.

The campaign will target travellers between 18 and 30 years of age in Australia and overseas, with particular focus on international markets eligible for Australian working holiday visas, including the UK and Ireland, the US and Canada, Germany, France, Italy, Sweden, Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea and Japan.

The six “Best Jobs in the World” each come with an attractive six-month salary package worth A$100,000 including living costs. The positions are:

* Chief Funster (New South Wales)
* Outback Adventurer (Northern Territory)
* Park Ranger (Queensland)
* Wildlife Caretaker (South Australia)
* Lifestyle Photographer (Melbourne)
* Taste Master (Western Australia)

Tourism Australia Managing Director Andrew McEvoy said the competition was expected to appeal to youth travelers’ sense of fun and adventure. “The youth market contributes more than a quarter of all Australia’s international arrivals. These are visitors who tend to stay longer, disperse widely and often come back again, with their families, later in their lives. For many young people, Australia’s working holiday visa programs provide the economic means to fund travel plans, and this is at the heart of our new campaign,” he said in a release.

Entering is pretty simple – just upload a 30-second video resume before April 10. Best of luck!

“Best job in the world” winner looking for assistants

Ben Southall, the guy getting paid A$150,000 to gallivant around the Great Barrier Reef Region (and write about it) has come under fire for not blogging all that often. Tourism Queensland, who sponsored the “best job in the world” contest, blamed the lack of blog posts on poor Internet access and the fact that well, Ben’s just too busy “working”. Somehow, I don’t think those of us who spend our days in a windowless office have much sympathy for poor Ben.

To help Ben with some of his workload, he and Tourism Queensland are planning on launching another contest – this time to find four assistants. At this point there are no additional details on the positions or what the application process will entail, but Ben promises he’ll give us the scoop soon. Hopefully, he can find the time.

Worst jobs in the world in Hamilton Island

The lazy Brit who’s supposed to be blogging has it made, having won what is billed as “the best job in the world.” But, the many people working on the island, according to a construction union rep are far from living the good life. Hell, he likens it to Alcatraz – before it stopped being a prison, I imagine.

The workers are engaged to develop the island’s yacht club. Currently, they’re being housed in Palm Valley, which has been called “vastly inadequate.” Up to six people are being stuffed into four-person apartments, and the rooms themselves are small. The union claims that the living conditions are in breach of the original terms.

Elsewhere on Hamilton Island, the best job in the world involves a hefty salary relative to the obligations and nice digs in a luxury villa.

So, what does Park View Group CEO Geg Thompson – the man who writes the checks – say about this? Nobody’s forcing the workers to stay.

Is the “best job in the world” winner too busy working to blog?

Ben Southall became the envy of many when he beat out 34,000 other applicants and was awarded the “best job in the world” – the chance to spend six months in Australia’s Great Barrier Reef region. He even got to bring his girlfriend along for the adventure. In exchange for priceless experiences and A$150,000, Southall was to detail his adventures on regular blog posts.

But, according to The Courier-Mail, some people feel that Southall hasn’t keep up his end of the bargain. Since the job started on July 1, Southall has logged just seven posts. Tourism Queensland blames difficulties with Internet access for the skimpy posting and says that they are pleased with Southall’s performance so far, especially given his hectic schedule. Tourism Queensland also claims that Southall has conducted over 50 interviews and has a documentary crew filming his every move. From what is posted on the blog, it does seem as though Southall has a very busy schedule, with dawn-to-dusk activities planned nearly every day. Tourism Queensland also said that they were looking at ways to clear up Southall’s schedule a bit.

Hopefully they can work things out and allow Southall more time to blog. And if it turns out that Tourism Queensland isn’t pleased with his performance, I’m sure they’ll have no trouble finding a willing replacement!