While Canada's only finalist in the "Best Job in the World" competition failed to get the choice gig promoting the islands of Australia's Great Barrier Reef, another Canadian is making the trip Down Under to be with the person who won.
Nearly 35,000 applicants vied for the job that begins on Canada Day, pays $150,000 Australian dollars, and essentially requires the winner to hang out in the islands of the Great Barrier Reef for six months in a three-bedroom house.
Applicants were required to submit a short video over the Internet, which Tourism Queensland judges -- as well as people around the world -- could review in order to eventually make their final pick.
Amazingly, seven Canadians made the list of top 50, but only British Columbian Erik Rolfsen, the website editor for the Vancouver Province, made the cut for the final 16, earning a trip to Australia in the process.
But on Wednesday, Tourism Queensland announced the winner and it wasn't Rolfsen.
Instead, it was Ben Southall, a 34-year-old charity events manager from Petersfield, England, who showed off his bungee-jumping and ostrich-riding skills in his video pitch that helped him win the job.
"It's been exciting, it's been really good, it's been nice to get out there and meet a load of people," Southall told CTV's Canada AM, during an interview with Jeff Hutcheson in Australia, following his win.
"Suddenly everybody knows me. I didn't know anybody. I was walking around here like a little mouse, being a bit of an unknown. And then suddenly I walk out here this afternoon and there's the media, and there's people from the hotel and it's great fun. It really is enjoyable."
Southall said he will be working hard to "act as an ambassador" to help Tourism Queensland promote the Great Barrier Reef and its islands and sell them "to the world."
But he won't be all alone while conducting his duties among the islands of the Great Barrier Reef: He will be joined by his Vancouver girlfriend, Breanna, who is flying out to work alongside him.
Rolfsen, for his part, said he had a good time taking part in the contest, even if he didn't get the job.
"It's been a wild four months, you know, it just got more exciting with every new step or phase in the process," he told CTV's Canada AM in a separate interview in Australia.
"It all culminated this week in a great week," Rolfsen added, referring to his trip to the Southern Hemisphere in order to interview for the job.
"I met some great people and did some really exciting things out here in Australia."
He said he enjoyed snorkeling, which was part of the interview process for the highly sought-after job, which the publicity-savvy Tourism Queensland named the "Best Job in the World."
The interview process also included attending a barbecue, relaxing at a spa, practicing blogging on the web, a swimming test and eventually, an in-person interview with Tourism Queensland officials.
Anthony Hayes, the head of Tourism Queensland, said announcing the winner was "traumatic," because the officials had enjoyed interviewing all of the finalists.
"It was quite traumatic today because we've just grown to love all of them, so to actually have to choose one was just dreadful," Hayes said after the announcement.
But Hayes said he was pleased with Southall as Tourism Queensland's main man in the Great Barrier Reef.
"I think we picked the right one, though. He's the most fabulous guy and his people skills are just outstanding," Hayes said.
With files from The Associated Press and The Canadian Press
