On Saturday, 34-year-old Ben Southall became the luckiest son of a gun in the world. As of July 1, Southall will become the guardian of tropical Hamilton Island in Australia’s Great Barrier Reef. Duties include swimming, relaxing and blogging as part of a $1.7 million tourism publicity campaign for the area. Sorry ladies, he’s already taken.

The San Francisco Chronicle:

Southall and 15 other finalists spent the past four days on the island for an extended interview process, which required applicants to snorkel through crystalline waters, gorge themselves at a beachside barbecue and relax at a spa. The finalists also had to demonstrate their blogging abilities, take swimming tests and sit through in-person interviews.

“I hope I can sell the reef as much as everybody is expecting,” Southall said after he was crowned the winner at a ceremony on Hamilton Island. “My swimming hopefully is up to standard.”

Read More

Rooted in Truth.
Independent by Design.

Your support helps ensure that rigorous reporting, thoughtful analysis, and investigative journalism remain accessible to everyone.

Support independent journalism.

SUPPORT TRUTHDIG