Tasmania entices tourists with ‘odd jobs’ offer

Train enthusiasts are invited to apply for the “puffer nut” role, another one-day job in which the applicant will join the crew on the Lynchford Express steam train as it travels along the Tasmanian west coast.

Also being sought are stargazers interested in joining Tasmania’s Astronomical Society for a night to observe the skies.

There are also jobs for truffle hunters, “wine whisperers” and wombat walkers willing to take the marsupials “on their morning waddle”.

Tourism Tasmania says that 1.25 million people visited the island last year – more than the previous year, but still shy of the 1.35 million visitors in 2019, before the pandemic.

Winter runs from May to August in Tasmania, where temperatures typically fall between 3-11C, Tourism Tasmania said.

“As temperatures drop during winter, we know Australians are seeking a well-being boost and a break from the daily grind,” Lindene Cleary, the authority’s chief marketing officer told local media.

Only adult residents currently living in Australia are eligible to apply for the roles, and must explain why they want to swap their day jobs for one of the “odd jobs” in under 50 words.