Fancy a quieter life in Antarctica? Job ad in the world’s most rural post office attracts 1000 CVs

Gentoo penguins (Pygoscelis papua) surround the buildings at Port Lockroy, Antarctica, Southern Ocean, Polar Regions

Snow-capped mountains surround Port Lockroy, Antarctica, Southern Ocean, Polar Regions

British Base A research station at Port Lockroy, Goudier Island, Antarctica, Southern Ocean, Polar Regions

Penguins around old British base of Port Lockroy, Goudier Island, Antarctic Peninsula, Antarctica

Old British base of Port Lockroy, base has been renovated into museum, Goudier Island, Antarctic Peninsula, Antarctica

Gentoo penguins (Pygoscelis papua) surround the buildings at Port Lockroy, Antarctica, Southern Ocean, Polar Regions

Snow-capped mountains surround Port Lockroy, Antarctica, Southern Ocean, Polar Regions

British Base A research station at Port Lockroy, Goudier Island, Antarctica, Southern Ocean, Polar Regions

Penguins around old British base of Port Lockroy, Goudier Island, Antarctic Peninsula, Antarctica

Old British base of Port Lockroy, base has been renovated into museum, Goudier Island, Antarctic Peninsula, Antarctica

Port Lockroy Antarctic base

Gentoo penguins (Pygoscelis papua) surround the buildings at Port Lockroy, Antarctica, Southern Ocean, Polar Regions

Patricia Murphy

February 24 2015 01:00 PM

If colleagues are grinding your gears and civilisation is something you fancy leaving behind, a position in the world’s most rural post office might be your dream job.

More than 1000 applicants have applied for the job in Port Lockroy Antarctica, where the postmaster is completely cut off from civilisation with only 2000 penguins for company.

Penguin neighbours will not be the only stinky ones as the successful applicant will not have access to running water and have to go for weeks without a shower.

The successful applicant should certainly throw some furs into their suitcase as Port Lockroy’s average temperature is -10C. Some good shut-eye might be hard to capture too as the spot experiences almost 24 hours of sunlight each day.

Yet, the position might be a dream for those hoping to indulge in a social media blackout as the post office has neither an internet connection nor a phone signal apart from a radio.

The UK Antarctic Heritage Trust has urged people to stop applying for the job after interested applicants crashed their website.

Gentoo penguins (Pygoscelis papua) surround the buildings at Port Lockroy, Antarctica, Southern Ocean, Polar Regions

Snow-capped mountains surround Port Lockroy, Antarctica, Southern Ocean, Polar Regions

Gentoo penguins (Pygoscelis papua) surround the buildings at Port Lockroy, Antarctica, Southern Ocean, Polar Regions

Penguins around old British base of Port Lockroy, Goudier Island, Antarctic Peninsula, Antarctica

Old British base of Port Lockroy, base has been renovated into museum, Goudier Island, Antarctic Peninsula, Antarctica

Port Lockroy Antarctic base

Gentoo penguins (Pygoscelis papua) surround the buildings at Port Lockroy, Antarctica, Southern Ocean, Polar Regions

“We don’t want anymore applicants,” a trust spokesperson said.

“People have applied from all over the world – Australia, Japan, you name it. It seems to have really captured the imagination.”

While the job might sound a little lonesome, the postmaster will be treated to occasional human contact as Port Lockroy attracts 18000 cruise ship tourists each year.

Those hoping to make some serious dough though will be disappointed as the reward for the job is a mere €1000 per month.