A British scuba diving enthusiast bested other applicants for what would be labeled as the “Best Job in the World” – to become caretaker of an Australian island near Great Barrier Reef.

Ben Southall will have a six-month stint as caretaker of the Hamilton Island, which is based in the northern part of Queensland. He’ll be paid more than $100,000 by staying in the island, exploring the beaches through snorkeling, scuba diving and sailing. He’ll also write an online diary weekly to inform the world about the wonders of the island.

The 34-year old resident of Hampshire, England will fit well in the job considering that he’s a fan of adventure including scuba diving.

The global recession and expected decline in tourists prompted Tourism Queensland to launch this campaign. Dubbed as “Best Job in the World,” the contest was launched in January and more than 34,000 applicants submitted their entries.

The publicity paid off, hundreds of thousands of online visitors all over the world accessed the website. The tourism team trimmed down their prospects to 16 finalists before they chose Southall.

Southall will have a three-bedroom house plus unrestricted access throughout the island in order to effectively come up with convincing online entries.