Following the success of their “best job in the world” campaign, Australian tourism officials have launched a new initiative to lure bored Brits Down Under for the ultimate working holiday.

Jobs on offer include beer tasting, tagging sharks and catching koalas, as well as a Fairy Penguin home remodeller, and a “roo poo” harvester.

Targeted at Brits aged 18-30, the initiative by the South Australian government is advertising a range of seasonal jobs that promise a “stark contrast to the UK’s long working hours, high taxes and increasing retirement age”.

Officials hope the examples of dream employment opportunities across South Australia will convince workers that a life Down Under is more exciting than being chained to a desk in the UK, and instead provide the “ultimate work-life balance”.

Australian agent general in the UK Bill Muirhead said: “This isn’t about one job that everyone has to compete for, but rather about showing people that South Australia offers more exciting work and travel options than anywhere else in the world.”

None of the jobs require previous experience. The koala catchers will help control the animal population around Adelaide. Staff are also needed to protect the habitat of fairy penguins on Kangaroo Island near Adelaide. ‘Shark personality profilers’ are also wanted in Port Lincoln, who will survey the shark population.

The campaign follows the overwhelming success of the “best job in the world” competition to become caretaker of Queensland’s Hamilton Island.

The Queensland tourist board posted the job in Jaunary 2009 to raise its profile around the world, and attracted more than 34,000 applications, as well as mass media attention across the world.

However the country’s tourism industry has been struggling during the global downturn.

The deficit in tourism’s balance of trade is set to hit AU$9 billion in 2010/11, up from AU$7.3 billion in 2009/10. The Australian Bureau of Statistics figures released last week showed a gap between overseas visitors to Australia and Australians heading abroad of more than 280,000.

The Gold Coast is holding in there fairly well but Sydney, the country’s main gateway, has not been underperforming.