Melbourne, Feb 27  The competition for landing what has been touted as the "best job in the world" has narrowed further, as bosses at Tourism Australia have shortlisted the top 50 candidates for the sought after position.

Almost 35,000 video applications were considered for the 150,000 dollars, six-month stint as the Hamilton Island caretaker on the Great Barrier Reef.

The identity of the 50 short-listed candidates will be revealed on March 3.

The job was a Tourism Australia campaign to boost the floundering tourist market, and it attracted applications from more than 200 countries.

"I think we are safe in saying that this is the most sought-after job in the world," News. com. au quoted Queensland Tourism Minister Desley Boyle as saying.

And the candidate who will finally get the job will report on his or her experiences via a range of communication channels, including website and video blogs.

The top 50 list will be further cut down on a final 11 after a series of online psychometric tests. (ANI)