British charity fundraiser Ben Southall has won the Best Job in the World competition.

Picked from a pool of 34,000 applicants from across the world, 34-year-old Southall was one of 16 finalists for the $150,000, six-month Hamilton Island caretaker job starting on July 1.

Queensland Premier Anna Bligh announced the winner's name at a ceremony on Wednesday.

Southall said the campaign, which has generated about $100 million in publicity, had been an "enormous worldwide success".

"I hope I can sell the reef as much as everybody is expecting," he said.

He will start his new role as caretaker of Hamilton Island on July 1, being paid $150,000 to sail, snorkel and scuba dive while promoting the island and the Great Barrier Reef to tourists through an online blog.

Among his perks are a three-bedroom luxury villa and buggy to explore the island.