The Best Job in the World (Blog)

Welcome to my "The Best Job in the World" blog, Tourism Queensland! (If it's you...)

2009-02-23T12:05:00.001-08:00

I'm happy to see you! :) I really appreciate your visit. Please note that I started this blog on January 10th. Feel free to browse. Here is a selection of blog posts for you:

Getting to know me
About me and the best job in the world
Top reasons why I should get the best job in the world
25 things you didn't know about me

Getting to know my blogging style
Translated blog posts from my popular German blog (Eva in Australia) - Personal experiences
Eva's Great Barrier Reef Scenic Flight
Whitsunday Sailing: Eva, the Sailor

Facts, facts, facts, yet entertaining posts:
Great Barrier Reef Marine Life (Links)
The Whitsundays and Whitehaven Beach

Getting to know my photo skills
Hamilton Island Impressions

Thanks for the visit! I'm looking forward to hearing from you. :) (A girl can dream...)

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YOU ARE NOT TOURISM QUEENSLAND?!

Don't worry: To thee and thy company I bid a hearty welcome! *gg* Learn more about the Great Barrier Reef, its islands and its marine life in my humble blog. And don't forget to watch my application video for the best job in the world: Island Caretaker in Queensland.

Comments are always welcome. :)

Application deadline for "The Best Job in the World"

2009-02-21T11:26:00.001-08:00

Application deadline for the best job in the world: Sunday, February 22, 11.59pm (UTC). So far, Tourism Queensland had over 34,000 applications for the best job in the world. What are my odds, does anyone know? :)

By the way: The final 50 candidates will be announced on March 2nd. Should I make it, I'll definitely let you know.

Well, I enjoy chatting to my 1,300+ Facebook friends and Twitter followers a lot - no matter if I make the shortlist or not. I'm really passionate about this area, a fantastic blogger, friendly, happy, funny, love to share my stories (okay, no more self-promotion), but who knows what they are looking for. The best thing about the campaign: meeting like-minded people from around the world and the promotion of the Great Barrier Reef. It's so beautiful, you just have to love and protect it! I hope the caretaker will feel the same way.

But still: I want this job!!!! If I get shortlisted, I've got a whole campaign planned, just so you know. :)

See for yourself how much I love the Great Barrier Reef...

2009-02-17T03:05:00.000-08:00

Do I fall for merchandising? - Yeah, sometimes.

Do I have more stuff? - I won't tell. ;)

Do I love the Great Barrier Reef area? - I most certainly do!!

The Best job in the world - Duty 1: Collect the mail....

2009-02-11T23:52:00.001-08:00

That's not a mailbox...

...THAT'S a mailbox!!!

(Alright, I love Crocodile Dundee, I admit it. *gg*)

In case you didn't know: The Great Barrier Reef has its own floating mailbox at Agincourt Reef, approximately 72km offshore in the Coral Sea. Your mail even gets a special stamp, the one and only Great Barrier Reef stamp!

I hope the island caretaker is going to collect the mail there at some point, it would be such a great story! (I'm always one for stories off the beaten track.) In case the future island caretaker is reading this or you're a passionate amateur mailbox photographer on your way to Queensland: Cruises to the Agincourt Reef leave from Port Douglas, North Queensland.

Hey, while you're there: Could you please send me a postcard? I'd love to have one from my favorite mailbox in the whole world! :) Pretty, please? I'm gonna send you the money for the postage...

Damn, I really should have mentioned my professional papergirl experience (back when I was 12 years old). Now THAT'S a unique skill and the ultimate reason why Tourism Queensland would have to shortlist me right away. *gg*

MY APPLICATION VIDEO for the best job in the world IS ONLINE!!!

2009-02-09T13:06:00.000-08:00

I'm so excited: My application video is now online! Please watch it on the official website. And tell me what you think about it. :)

If you like it, join my Facebook group "Support Eva's application for the best job in the world" and/or follow me on Twitter.

Sand art: Meet the sandman

2009-02-08T08:35:00.001-08:00

A short post just for fun: Back in Australia I couldn't resist building this sandman! I think he's cute. Granted, he doesn't seem to be very active. I wonder how long he stayed on this beach and if somebody else found him and took a photo of him?

Top reasons why I should get the best job in the world

2009-02-07T08:41:00.001-08:00

My sports certificates
I'm a certified sailor (RYA Competent Crew) and diver (PADI Open Water Diver).

My physical condition
I'm 28 years old and I'm in very good health; I don't drink, smoke or take drugs. Furthermore, I've got no tattoos or piercings.

My eye for natural beauty
I love to take photos. I took all the photos published in this blog. (Except the ones where I'm on it. *gg*)

My personality
I'm adventurous, reliable, hard-working, outgoing, open-minded, curious, honest, friendly and enthusiastic. In a nutshell: I would be a positive representative for Tourism Queensland. Did I mention 'modest' as well? ;)

My island experience
I know exactly what it's like to live on Hamilton Island because I've already lived and worked there for five months. It's my home away from home. My Australian home! Where else but Queensland...?!

My professional knowledge
I've got very good communication skills thanks to my professional PR and marketing experiences. For instance, I was a presenter at several public events. I know exactly how to represent an organization and inspire people.

My European background
According to Tourism Australia, Germany is one of the top 10 markets into Australia. There is still a lot of potential in the German market! I would be perfect to address the German target markets (self challengers/comfort and learning): I backpacked Australia for one year (-->self challengers) and thanks to my PR knowledge I would be able to address the 'comfort and learning' group at the same time. Plus I speak English, i.e. I can also promote Australia in other target markets like the UK or the United States.

My enthusiasm
I'm in love with Queensland, especially the Whitsunday area and the Great Barrier Reef. I promoted it in my German blog long before anybody ever thought of the position as caretaker of the islands of the Great Barrier Reef. This blog is very popular and had thousands of visitors. Ever since I've been to Queensland, I read many books and watched numerous documentaries about the Great Barrier Reef, its islands and marine life, but also about the rainforest in Queensland and its wildlife. The Great Barrier Reef is a very unique place and truly a natural heritage which has to be preserved! I hope that my enthusiasm for it will help people to listen and feel responsible for it as well.

"Eva, you've already been there, done that - why should YOU of all people get this job?!"
Simple: Because I've already been there and done that! Who would be a better representative than someone who genuinely loves this area, has a solid Great Barrier Reef basic knowledge, loves to learn more about it and promoted it before?! I've got an eye for details and I'm very enthusiastic. I like to share my travel experiences and I've got all the skills required. Not to mention my blogging experience.

(Trust me, every time I went to Hill Inlet I was so excited like it was the first time. I'm not one of the "Funny, I remembered it to be prettier"-kind of persons.)

I would love to help Tourism Queensland to increase the number of tourists from Germany, one of the target markets, and the rest of the world. Oh, by the way: I know how to use Web 2.0 technologies - I established a Facebook profile as "Eva Queenslandfan" with to date more than 900 friends, created a Facebook group and a twitter account. And this blog. A solid online basis already for promoting the Great Barrier Reef islands! :)

To cut a long story short: I'm the perfect candidate for this job! Now it's up to Tourism Queensland to invite me and bring me back. It would certainly be a dream come true...

Listen to Whitehaven Beach...

2009-02-06T11:35:00.001-08:00

You might have known that the sand of Whitehaven Beach is white and soft. But do you know what it sounds like? Watch the video above and listen to its squeaky sand...

Visit my former blog post about Whitsunday Island and Whitehaven Beach for more information. :)

25 things you didn't know about me

2009-02-04T13:01:00.001-08:00

"...but all the other kids do it!!!" - Peer pressure at its best on Facebook. ;)

Here's my list of 25 things you didn't know about me:

1. I live in Munich, Germany. (Yes, the Oktoberfest. I know.)
2. My last name isn't "Queenslandfan" (you might have guessed that already *gg*).
3. I've got a very good university degree (MA; Special emphasis: The language of media, especially the internet)
4. I lived and worked in the USA as an au pair for one year.
5. I was a volunteer at the New York City Marathon 2000.
6. I'm an experienced blogger since 2006 (One of the most popular German blogs about a working holiday stay in Australia with thousands of visitors: Eva in Australia. Unfortunately, I only installed the counter months after my return to Germany. But it still gets a lot of Google traffic.)
7. I don't have any piercings or tattoos. (Not even my ears are pierced.)
8. I don't smoke, drink alcohol or take drugs. I don't even drink coffee. (But I love ice cream!)
9. I'm a very enthusiastic amateur photographer; I even won a prize in a competition once (a camera).
10. I'm in love with Australia since I was 13 years old.
11. I wanna go skydiving above the Great Barrier Reef.
12. I worked in online marketing (SEO, SEM) and PR in the web 2.0 area.
13. I volunteered at the local city theatre.
14. In order to finance my academic studies, I worked as a camp counselor and teacher; I also worked in a candy factory and at McDonald's among other things.
15. I was nicknamed "Hill Inlet" in Australia.
16. I'm fascinated by the beauty of the underwater world - but I never found Nemo.
17. I backpacked Australia for one year and I backpacked Thailand for one month - all by myself.
18. I lived on a sailing yacht for 8 weeks.
19. I love to sleep outdoors - I already slept on a trampoline in the desert and in a hammock on the beach.
20. I'm fascinated by Cape Tribulation and the Daintree Rainforest.
21. I stood in line behind Kate Hudson in the Fish'n'Chips shop on Hamilton Island.
22. Together with friends I organized a reception for the ambassador of Sierra Leone.
23. I already wrote several articles for business magazines.
24. Together with a friend I founded a non-profit association which has more than 80 members at the moment.
25. I wanna become the caretaker of the islands of the Great Barrier Reef and share my love for them with the whole world!!

Happy Great Barrier Reef Month!

2009-02-02T09:06:00.000-08:00

Just a short post to let you know: It's Great Barrier Reef Month on ExoticAnimallover.com from February 1st - 28th, 2009. Fantastic idea - you should definitely have a look at it!

By the way: Here in my blog it's always Great Barrier Reef month. :)

Eva for Island Caretaker - Bring me back!

2009-01-27T10:03:00.000-08:00

Always listen to the ones directly concerned... :)

Getting to know Hamilton Island - Chapter 2

2009-01-24T09:22:00.001-08:00

Missed Chapter 1? Go back!

As I mentioned before, there are almost no cars on Hamilton Island. But that doesn't mean that there is no traffic at all. The transportation vehicle of choice: Buggies. Golf carts, really. Driving a buggy is definitely one of the things you should do while you're on Hamilton Island. Just hire one and explore! Pay special attention to the street signs: Informative and cute. :)

Sad, but true story: I never drove a buggy. Not once. (One of the many reasons why I've got to go back!) I used to walk; every now and then I took the island shuttle bus, also known as resort link. Quite convenient if you don't wanna carry 6 litres of water and the rest of your groceries all the way uphill. (Steep!! Remember, drowned mountain ranges?)

I just wanna take the time and say THANK YOU to all the friendly tourists and island residents which happened to have access to a buggy and picked me and my groceries up so I didn't have to carry them all the way. I really appreciated it every single time. No need to mention that as the island caretaker I would love to return the favor. I hereby solemnly swear: Whenever I see people in need of a buggy seat, I'll be there to help them. Well, needless to say, first I've got to get the job.(<--This should have been in my application video! "Eva, the caretaker of the islands and all their residents - I will buggy you!!" *gg*) (Buggy, not bug!) I don't know if anywhere else in the world buggies are the main means of transportation. I think it's one of the things which make this little island so special. Every time I see a golf buggy, I think of Hamilton Island.

Hamilton Island = buggy island. You'll get to know more about Hamilton Island in another post - that's it for today, folks!

Learning from today's post: Having your own buggy on Hamilton Island = priceless! :)

Bushwalking on Hamilton Island

2009-01-22T11:59:00.000-08:00

Remember that the Whitsundays are in fact drowned mountain ranges? (You don't?! Go back to my fantastic blog post where I wrote something about the history of the Whitsundays.) Guess what that means: As if the Great Barrier Reef, swimming, sailing, fishing, sea kayaking and all this other stuff weren't enough, there are also plenty of bushwalking trails available on Hamilton Island! (Some have all the luck.) (Here's an overview of the Hamilton Island Bushwalking Trails.)

My favorite bushwalking trail: Passage Peak
As the name suggests, this trail leads to THE peak of Hamilton Island. Excellent 360° panorama view! Bring your camera!! And lots of water. It's not the easiest trail, the final section is quite steep. Don't give up. You'll make it. That is, as long as you're wearing hiking boots. No flip flops (or thongs, like the Australian likes to call them). Peak=steep!! Bushwalking! You're not on the beach, okay? Please, please, wear sturdy shoes! (You might wonder if I earn a commission from the one and only hiking boots shop on Hamilton Island. Good question! NO, I don't. I'm not even aware of a hiking boots shop there. I've just seen some smart tourist trying to bushwalk, I mean, thongwalk this trail, finishing it quite early and in real pain. Trust me, he definitely wasn't a happy bunny. But if there indeed should be a shop selling hiking boots only on Hamilton Island, mention the code: "I want to buy a pair of thongs for the Passage Peak Trail" - and you'll get a special...discount.)

And guess what's the best about Passage Peak? You can even see a little bit of Hill Inlet from there! :)

Learning from today's post: Bushwalking Eva ended up being a very happy bunny because she was wearing the right shoes. And she likes being a happy bunny!

The Great Barrier Reef Islands

2009-01-21T02:27:00.001-08:00

Welcome back, dear reader of my humble blog. So far, you've learned a little bit more about the Whitsundays. But remember: The Great Barrier Reef is great in the true sense of the word - there are a lot more than just the 74 Whitsunday Islands!

The Great Barrier Reef Islands
Where else but Queensland: The Islands of the Great Barrier Reef follow the Queensland coastline from Lady Elliott Island in the south to Poruma Island at the northern tip of the Great Barrier Reef. You want more details? Simply download the official Great Barrier Reef General Reference Map (1,68 MB - it might take a while).

Birds and turtles on the Great Barrier Reef Islands
- The world’s largest population of nesting green turtles occurs at Raine Island, in the far northern part of the Marine Park.

- 25% of Great Barrier Reef islands have nesting seabirds. There are a number of very significant islands within the Great Barrier Reef including Raine Island, Moulter Cay, Bramble Cay, Michaelmas Cay North West Island, Lady Elliot Island, East Fairfax Island and several cays in the Swain Reefs. (Facts mentioned above taken from the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park authority website, Appendix 2, Listed Marine Species)

As you can see, many of the Great Barrier Reef islands are breeding grounds to birds and sea turtles. Go, Great Barrier Reef ecosystem, goooo!!!

You want to read more? Sorry, that's about it for today's post. (*trying to ignore your disappointment*) Why? Simple: I explored mainly the Whitsundays. (So little time, so many islands!) Since I haven't been to some of the other Great Barrier Reef Islands, there's nothing I can tell you about them from my personal experience.

Yet. :)

Whether I'm going to be the Island Caretaker or not - Queensland, be prepared (*my best Terminator impersonation ever*): I'LL BE BACK!! (Don't worry too much: I won't try to become Governor of Queensland. I promise!)

Great Barrier Reef: Marine Life (Links)

2009-01-20T04:23:00.001-08:00

The Great Barrier Reef is truly a natural wonder, beautiful to look at. But we tourists should be aware of the Reef being an endangered ecosystem which is home to an enormous diversity of marine life.

If you're a city person, a desert nomad or something similar (i.e. if you haven't had direct contact to marine life before) and you go snorkeling or diving for the first time, be prepared: The Great Barrier Reef will wow you!

There's so much to see, learn and enjoy. For example, did you know that sea cucumbers breathe through their anus? You didn't? Neither did I. (Great small talk knowledge, by the way.) But that's only the tip of the iceberg. I'll just mention one more interesting fact which I did not want to believe at first. You know clownfish, right? "Finding Nemo"? Well, remember that Nemo's father Marlin was taking care of Nemo after little Nemo's mother died? And then Marlin was trying to find his son? Cute story, right?

IT'S A LIE!! IT'S AN OUT-AND-OUT LIE!!! The absolute truth: As soon as the female clownfish dies, the male changes his sex and becomes the breeding female. This means that Marlin would have had to turn into Nemo's mom Marylin in the movie. Hollywood, you lied to us! How dare you!! Okay, now I'm petitioning for a biologically correct version of "Finding Nemo" - who's in with me? I'm afraid this movie version is gonna be R-rated though, because Nemo could end up as Marylin's new mate. (What a thought! Sometimes it's better to remain ignorant. Still, fascinating fact, don't you agree?)

But back to the Great Barrier Reef. If you get the chance to visit and experience it first-hand, please keep in mind: We're just visitors and should treat the marine life with respect. No matter through which orifice of the body a life form is breathing. Snorkelers and divers: Don't touch the coral or other animals. Just leave them alone. Furthermore, please, don't throw any garbage into the sea. There's plenty more you can do, just take a look at the "Doing your bit to look after it"-list of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority.

I definitely recommend visiting the following websites for more information about the Great Barrier Reef:

- Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Autority
My personal highlight: I already mentioned the phenomenon of coral bleaching before. What I didn't mention: the Australian government has a website with a current coral bleaching forecast.

- Reef HQ Aquarium in Townsville, Queensland
World's largest living coral reef aquarium. If you get the chance, you should definitely go and visit it! My personal highlight: Reef video conferencing! For all those students who don't live in Australia but still want to experience the Great Barrier Reef. Great idea. Kids, instant message Nemo now!

- Australian Institute of Marine Science
My personal highlight: The Great Barrier Reef Long Term Monitoring Program. It has been surveying the health of some of the GBR reefs since 1993. Go and check out the coral bleaching facts for yourself.

Enjoy the websites above! (Hey: Are you still thinking about the anus breathing and the "Finding Nemo" conspiracy in the back of your mind? You are? I don't blame you...)

Eva's Great Barrier Reef Scenic Flight

2009-01-19T09:10:00.001-08:00

This post is based on my original German blog post: "Eva über dem Great Barrier Reef" (February 2007)

I've been here on Hamilton Island for a while now and as you know the Whitsundays are part of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park (if you didn't know this before, you do now) (hey, I like writing in brackets!). Besides, the words "Great Barrier Reef" embellish my uniform quite nicely. Hence, I thought it was about time to see and explore THE Great Barrier Reef, namely the Outer Reef.

And what better way to get an impression of the greatness and beauty of the Great Barrier Reef than from a bird's view? I've had the plan for some time already. I was just waiting for the right opportunity to realize it. (Despite of one week when I went to sailing school, the most beautiful sunshine is here again *smile*) Finally, the day had come (I love it when a plan comes together!) and one fine morning I boarded a scenic flight plane. Mind you, it wasn't just any type of plane; if I do it, I'll do it right. Madame can be high maintenance sometimes. The aircraft of my choice: A sea plane. Hooray, a real, splishy splashy sea plane! I always wanted to travel by sea plane at some point in my life. :)

By the way, the tour I took only takes off from Hamilton Island. (Wow, exclusive.) Plus it was a special offer. In fact, it has been for a while now, but trust me, I'm not complaining. Why should I? The bargain shopper in me was quite happy about it.

Take off! I saw some of the Whitsunday islands from above. Beautiful. After that: water. Only water. The tension is rising. Upcoming clouds. No, please, go away, I wanna see the Great Barrier Reef!! The clouds listen to me and hide. Way better. There's no limit to my will power. And there, near the horizon...is it really? *staring curiously* It has to be. Half a minute later I was sure, a stunning view of the Reef. Wow. Great! Even the best pictures don't do it any justice, let alone words. It's simply something you have to see for yourself! Especially if you come all the way to Australia from overseas like I did.

I carried out my tourist's duty and took hundreds of photos. Lots more than all the Japanese people together who were on the same flight, by the way. (Five Japanese couples on their honeymoon - and I. Honestly, who would expect something like that on Valentine's Day. The airline, I guess. It even put its trust in my non-existent knowledge of Japanese and I was listening to the safety instructions in Japanese. Thank God I'm language gifted - and been on a plane before.) Should I be concerned of the fact that I took more pictures than the Japanese?! *cultivating an old cliché* Naah, I don't think so.

In my defence, I have to mention that two of them filmed the whole flight, from take-off to landing. (Which I would have done as well, if only I'd had a real video camera. *sighs*) The highlight and much sought-after motif: The world famous heart-shaped Heart Reef. (Now take a wild guess why it's known as the Heart Reef.) We had to say good-bye to the Outer Reef way too soon; and we headed back to the Whitsundays. Hill Inlet from above! No tide whatsoever, unfortunately. Soft water landing right near Whitehaven Beach. I have to say: I like sea planes! We stayed on Whitehaven Beach for two hours and had a picknick before we flew back to Hamilton.

To sum it up: A morning I'll never forget, a unique experience and one of THE highlights of my stay in Australia, that's for sure. Thanks a bunch to my parents!! They gave me this scenic flight as a christmas present - the best present ever! Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Learning from today's post: Eva likes to take A LOT of pictures.

Whitsunday Sailing: Eva, the Sailor

2009-01-18T11:23:00.001-08:00

This post is based on my original German blog post: "Eva, the sailor" (March 2007)

Ahoy, you landlubbers! *har har har* Now it's official, in cold print: I'm competent. (Secretly I've already suspected it for a while now. Well, no surprise at all, considering my high level of competence...) To be exact, I'm 'Competent Crew'. *applause accepted now*

You don't have a clue what I'm talking about? Okay, I'm gonna tell you. After sailing yachts have played a prominent part in my working and private life for the last few weeks, I thought it would be fit to take the next step - or rather the next wave. Namely, I attended sailing school on Hamilton Island and participated in a 5-day RYA-Competent Crew-Course (something like "sailing for beginners"). Hey, while I'm here, I'm gonna try to use every opportunity to see and do as much as I can! Welcome side effect: I prevented the slow but steady death of my brain cells because they've suffered from severe neglect since I've graduated from university. *watching my iq dwindle* (Bye, bye, IQ, it was nice with your...with you! Damn! q.e.d.)

It goes without saying, this course was also a nice mini-break from my work routine. Together with three other 'pupils' I've learned the basic sailing rules, how to hoist the sails, how to sail with and against the wind, anchor and much more. Weather conditions: south-easterly winds, 20-25 knots, scattered squally showers.

In total we covered more than 120 nautical miles, spent 5 hours sailing in the dark and finished second in our division in the Abel Point Twilight racing which takes place every Wednesday (Abel Point: marina of Airlie Beach, mainland). Let's be honest, our sailing school teacher deserves all the glory. I remember vaguely being attacked by a catamarane port and by another sailing yacht starboard...

It was so much fun! A certain person (no names) wanted to go visit Hill Inlet again. My...I mean, her wish was fulfiled!! We also went snorkeling near Hayman Island, a fantastic spot named Blue Pearl Pay. Although the tourists were not to happy about the windy and rainy weather that week, it was perfect for learning sailing. In this way, it was more challenging, a real adventure and a truly unforgettable experience.

The best thing about it: Thanks to this certificate I'm able to sail to Hill Inlet whenever I want! (Theoretically, at least.) Better watch out, Whitsundays: I'm able to be trouble on the water, in the water and underwater now: Sailing, swimming, snorkeling and scuba diving. (Waldo, where's the alliteration...?)

On a last note: I just realized all my favorite things start with an "s" - swimming, snorkeling, scuba diving, sice cream... super! :)

The Whitsundays: Hill Inlet

2009-01-17T10:40:00.000-08:00

My favorite place in the whole world: Hill Inlet. Just take a look at this picture! Trust me, it doesn't do it any justice. It's just too beautiful to be true. *sighs*

It's also very convenient and tourist-friendly: Like Whitehaven Beach, Hill Inlet is located on Whitsunday Island. To get to the inlet, jump on a boat. It will most likely anchor in Tongue Bay. Short dinghy ride ashore and a short walk through the bush to the official lookout (wear sturdy shoes!) and voilà: the most amazing view. In fact, that's exactly where I took the picture above.

Hill Inlet is located at the northern end of Whitehaven Beach. Its sand is shifting thanks to the tide. Therefore, I highly recommend going to the lookout when the tide is changing to see this beautiful wonder of nature coloring the inlet white and blue.

While you're there, you should definitely head down to Betty's Beach and take a walk there. It's simply stunning! Sorry, I know that I used a lot of superlatives in this post. But I can't help it! I warned you: My favorite place in the whole world! At some point, I was even nicknamed "Hill Inlet" because I couldn't get enough of this beautiful spot. Who could blame me?! Really, what did you expect...

Learning from today's post: Eva loves Hill Inlet. She loves, loves, loves it!!

Hamilton Island Impressions

2009-01-16T11:04:00.001-08:00

Catseye Beach on Hamilton Island

Birds

Marina

The Whitsundays and Whitehaven Beach

2009-01-15T09:15:00.001-08:00

As I mentioned before, Hamilton Island belongs to a group of islands known as the Whitsundays. I guess the caretaker of the islands of the Great Barrier Reef, the job of my dreams, is going to spend most of her (or his) time here. Ladies and gentlemen, may I introduce you to: The Whitsundays!

History of the Whitsundays
Many million years ago, the island paradise Whitsundays did not exist. But there was a mountain range connected with the mainland coast. A happy and innocent mountain range. Then an ice age came around. (Don't you just hate it, when that happens?) The mountain range was really cold, covered with ice, but what can you do about it. It was still a mountain range.

After some time, the ice age decided to quit its rather cool job because it was getting warmer. And what does ice do when it gets warmer?

It melts! (A+, everyone. Well done!) Heaps of melting ice resulted in a rise of the sea level. Only the mountain tops remained: Today's 74 Whitsunday Islands.

Fast forward to June 1770: An English guy named James Cook, explorer and cartographer, was exploring and mapping the East Coast of Australia. And guess what he found? Right: The Whitsundays! (No fair. The only thing I ever found was a penny.) Almost everyone believes James to be their Godfather, which isn't entirely true. He didn't name the islands Whitsundays, he was only talking about a "Whitsunday Passage". Apparently, because he thought he sailed through this passage on Whitsunday. He actually named the surrounding islands "Cumberland Isles". Guess what: It wasn't even Whitsunday when he sailed through this passage, but somehow the name stuck to the islands and voilá: Everyone is talking about the Whitsundays!

A last note: An official definiton of 'the Whitsundays' doesn't exist, only a 'Whitsunday Group'. (Check out the other groups here.) No matter what you call them: As long as you know how to get there, you'll be fine.

Whitsunday Island and Whitehaven Beach

Whitsunday Island (download the Google Earth coordinates here) is the biggest island of the Whitsundays National Park and destination number 1 for tourists and beach lovers from all over the world. It is uninhabited and you can only get there by boat. But why does everyone want to visit it? Simple: Whitehaven Beach, one of the top ten beaches in the world! It is reputed to be the whitest beach in the world thanks to silica (almost 100%). And there's enough room for everyone, because this picture-perfect beach is over 7 kilometres long.

My favorite place in the whole world is also located on Whitsunday Island: Hill Inlet. But I'm going to dedicate a whole post to Hill Inlet soon.

In the meantime, check out the Whitsundays website, start dreaming and if you want to plan your holiday, I highly recommend ordering the Whitsundays brochure.

(Learning from today's post: The Whitsunday islands are mountain tops!)

Getting to know Hamilton Island - Chapter 1

2009-01-14T09:58:00.001-08:00

Hamilton Island - the place where the Island Caretaker is going to live. I spent five months living and working on "Hamo" - that's what the hip crowd likes to call it. Hey, hold on a sec, I call it Hamo. I'm hip! Hip, hip, hooray! But why do I feel the sudden urge to start rapping? *I said a hip hop the hippie the hippie to the hip hip hop you don't stop lalala lalalala boogie...* Anyway, I dare say that I can tell you some things about this little island:

Welcome to Chapter 1 of "Getting to Know Life on Hamilton Island"! The blog series you shouldn't miss. But if you do, you do. (<--True wisdom.)

Hamilton Island is one of the 74 beautiful Whitsunday Islands. (Visit Hamilton Island on Google Earth and download its coordinates.) It's one of the inhabited islands; a resort island. Its natural inhabitants: Tourists.

Some more facts: Hamo is about 5 square kilometres in area and most of the businesses on Hamilton Island are run by the Oatley family. Well, by Hamilton Island Enterprises, to be correct, but the Oatleys own Hamilton Island Enterprises. And guess how the Oatleys got ahold of this beautiful island? They leased it from the Queensland government.

(Australia really is extraordinary.)

But maybe there are just too many islands in Queensland and one day some government genius saw an ad for car leasing in the newspaper. And five days later, he had this great idea: Why don't we offer island leasing? Genius! But back to Hamilton Island.

The first fish tourists get to see while holidaying - the Hamilton Island fish. It's everywhere. Trust me, if you are ever going to Hamilton Island, you're gonna see it. You can get to Hamo by ferry, plane (there's even a little airport) or by boat. It's an island, for God's sake, there's no other way to get there. (Suddenly I remember that I knew the arrival times of all planes by heart. Granted, the airport is not as busy as London Heathrow. Still.)

There is plenty of accomodation, restaurants and even a few shops on front street.(=The main street where you can find some restaurants, the general store and most of the shops.) There are almost no cars - it's buggy time! But I'll tell you more about the buggies, the beach and things to do on Hamilton island another time. In the meantime, you can check out the official Hamilton Island website, if you want. I'll keep trying to upload my application video. And I'll give the German government a call; I've got a great idea for some of the North Sea islands...

The best job in the world creates huge media response

2009-01-13T11:35:00.001-08:00

Apparently I'm not the only one applying for this job. Who would have thought...

Really, why would anyone else but me want this job?! Don't underestimate living on an isolated island, even on a resort island. It can be a lot tougher than you think!

At least I know now why I can't upload my application. Over 200,000 applicants in the first 24 hours. Well, I'm always one for challenges. Bring it on! :)

The website of Tourism Queensland isn't able to handle the traffic, read more here. Anway, let's hope that I'll be able to upload my application as soon as possible.

Don't you worry, I'll keep on bloggin', and rockin' and rollin'. In the meantime, you can support me on Facebook and join the official "Support Eva"-group. Comments, links and e-mails (eva.queenslandfan@gmx.net) are always welcome. I have to go now, learn how to hack the application website.

If you want, subscribe to my blog, there's more to come. For example, I'm going to start a little competition myself in the next few days.

The Great Barrier Reef - Random Facts

2009-01-12T01:53:00.000-08:00

The Great Barrier Reef. I already mentioned some of the facts I find fascinating. But since this is my blog and I can do whatever I want, I'll simply tell you that I believe in learning by repetition and mention some of them once more.

Random facts about the Great Barrier Reef
- Largest coral reef system of the world (composed of almost 3000 individual reefs)
- The only living thing on earth which can be seen from outer space (it's also beautiful when seen from a helicopter or plane)
- Located in Queensland, Australia (download the Google Earth coordinates now)
- Greater in area than Britain (approximately about 348,700 square kilometres)
- About 2,300 kilometres long
- Approximately 18 million years old in the north and 2 million years old in the south
- World Natural Heritage Site because it meets all 4 criteria (living record of earth’s evolution; natural phenomena and beauty; home to threatened species; ongoing biological processes)

Random facts about Coral
- Corals reproduce in two ways: asexually and sexually (=some divide to form new individuals/some release eggs and sperm)
- And the sexy corals know how to party: annual coral orgies!! The simultaneous mass spawning of corals on the Great Barrier Reef usually happens a couple of days after the full moon in November.
-And everybody wants to party with them: Coral reefs comprise less than one per cent of our planet's surface but support more than 25% per cent of all marine life
- Marine life...are you thinking about sharks? Don't worry too much. The dangerous sharks usually prefer colder waters. (Usually.)
- Corals form a symbiotic relationship with tiny algae. The coral color comes from these algae. When the coral is stressed, it dismisses its tenants. The coral turns brown; commonly known as coral bleaching.
- Some scientists predict that most of the world’s coral will be dead in less than 50 years. Global warming is a huge threat to the Great Barrier Reef and all coral. As the water temperature rises, corals get stressed and self-destruct.
- During a warming event in 1997/1998, coral colonies near Panama were stressed, bleached and died within six years - this species is now believed to be extinct. We have to save the Great Barrier Reef now!

Enough facts for now. I learned a lot more about the Great Barrier Reef, trust me. But right now I'm frustrated because I can't reach the islandreefjob website and upload my application video. I'll keep you posted...

About me and the best job in the world

2009-01-11T10:12:00.001-08:00

Hi, I'm Eva. I'm 28 years old and I'm from Germany. I love Queensland, especially the Great Barrier Reef and the Reef Islands. And guess what: I love to snorkel, dive and hike. I love adventures. I loooooove Hamilton Island. I love, love, love the Great Barrier Reef. *smile* I mentioned this already? - Okay, bunny rabbits, they are soooo cute! *cute smile* Oh, and I know I'm the best...I mean, the bestest candidate for this job ever! *even cuter smile* World peace for everyone!! *batting my eyelashes innocently* *unintentional tampering with the male jurors*

WAIT A MINUTE! Male and female jurors, dear reader of this blog, prepare yourselves. I'm not one of those girly drama queen applicants. Yes, I do love to snorkel, dive and hike. And I love adventures. But I have more to offer than world peace for everyone. (Though, if I could, trust me, I would.)

I spent a year backpacking Australia. All by myself. (Still astonishing for some, for whatever reason. Welcome to the 21st century, folks.) And guess where I lived and worked as a detailer for 5 months? Hamilton Island. Whitsundays, Queensland.

That's where I learned to snorkel, that's where I got my PADI Open Water Diver Certification and that's where I learned to sail (RYA Competent Crew). I'm fascinated by the Great Barrier Reef. And yes, it does sound pathetic (deal with it), but I love it!! And I miss it so much. You'll learn more about the depth of my obsession soon. But just to give you an idea: There's a huge poster of Hill Inlet in my living room. And a picture of it under my pillow.

And now there's this job opening: A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Queensland Tourism is looking for a Caretaker of the Islands of the Great Barrier Reef - and that's truly the best job in the world for me. One of the duties of the future caretaker: Writing a blog about the beauty of this breathtaking landscape, while living on Hamilton Island.

Guess what: I love to write. I already wrote a blog about my year and my experiences down under (You're welcome to visit my "Australia Blog: Eva in Australia", but beware: it's in German.) I'm going to translate some of my former German blog posts about Hamilton Island and other islands and post them here. Plus many new ones. Yes, I love to write. And hey: I'm writing another blog, just now! (Keen perception of the obvious, just another one of my many talents...)

In this blog, I'll let you know why I want to go back and why I should be the lucky one to become the Caretaker of the Islands of the Great Barrier Reef. Of course I'm gonna try to convince you, so don't think this is an impartial blog. I want this job and I'm gonna fight for it!

But I hope that you'll also learn more about beautiful Queensland, the most beautiful world natural heritage site ever - the Great Barrier Reef, not some Hollywood actor - and its beautiful islands. While enjoying reading my little blog. (You better enjoy it...) Comments are always welcome! :)

The best job in the world...in today's newspaper!

2009-01-10T08:26:00.000-08:00

It was a cold winter's day. Really cold. The world outside was covered in snow. Lakes and rivers were frozen, hundreds of people went ice skating on them, at least half a dozen broke through the ice that day (I guess there's a reason for these danger signs after all), they all survived (so far)... and to cut a long story short: I was in my room, trying to warm myself up, heat turned up despite the global economic crisis, reading the newspaper.

When suddenly I saw this job advertisement: "The best job in the world".

Right.

Curiously I kept on reading, always believing in the good in people. (I most certainly didn't do it to make fun of the advertisment afterwards. I would never do such a thing. Never.)

And that's how it started. What? This blog!

Welcome to my personal blog, aka my public job application for the best job in the world: Caretaker of the Islands of the Great Barrier Reef.

More blog posts to come soon: Learn more about the Great Barrier Reef (=gigantic coral reef ecosystem and the only living thing on earth that can be seen from outer space), its beautiful islands, learn more about the job and you will also learn more about me.

By the way: This really cold winter's day I mentioned earlier... well, that was today. It's still cold. I'm still cold. I never really got used to the concept of winters being cold, I guess.

Anyhow, stay tuned! The best job in the world is out there. So am I. ("And the truth!" - I know, Mulder. I know.)