'Bin Laden' Applies For "Best Job In The World"

'Bin Laden' Applies For "Best Job In The World"

Queensland launched the "Best Job in the World" campaign on January 12, calling for video applications from people interested in a A$150 000 (R1 million) contract to relax on Hamilton Island in the Great Barrier Reef for six months while writing a blog to promote the island.



The job is part of a A$1.7 million campaign to publicise the charms of northeastern Queensland state. The employee will live free on the island, exploring the reef and posting videos and photos on a weekly blog.

A hoaxer purporting to be Osama bin Laden has applied for the "best job in the world" - as caretaker of a tropical Australian island.

More than 10,000 people have applied for the position since it was advertised by Tourism Queensland, reports the Sydney Morning Herald."I enjoy the outdoors and sandy areas," the subtitles read. "I've got experience with videos, delegating tasks and experience with large scale event coordination."

Tourism Queensland confirmed that a person using bin Laden's name had lodged an official application - but it was rejected as inappropriate.

The employee will live free on the island where light duties include exploring the reef and posting videos and photos on a weekly blog - for a £70,000 pay packet.

Icebox Preserves Fishermen

Icebox Preserves Fishermen

Two Burmese men survived 25 days at sea in a giant icebox after their fishing boat sank southeast of Indonesia.

They drifted hundreds of miles in shark infested waters before a Coastwatch plane spotted them off Australia.

They were eventually found about 60 nautical miles away in the Torres Strait, off Queensland, reports The Sun.

After being winched to safety, they told rescuers they had been forced to crew a 10m long Thai fishing boat.

When their vessel started to sink, the two survivors climbed into the icebox as other crew searched desperately for something to grab from the wreck.

It is believed the men survived by drinking rain water that gathered at the bottom of the box and by eating scraps of fish that were also in the container.

Emergency Management Queensland helicopter pilot Terry Gadenne told Channel 7 the men were ecstatic to see rescuers.

"When they got up they sculled two litres of water each within seconds. It's a bloody big ocean to be drifting around in," he said.

It is believed 11 other Burmese crew and seven Thais were on board but no others have been found.