0:00:02 > 0:00:05Moving your family is always stressful,
0:00:05 > 0:00:09but when it involves taking them to the other side of the world,
0:00:09 > 0:00:12it could push everyone to their limits.
0:00:12 > 0:00:17In 2012, the Orrett family faced a massive decision -
0:00:17 > 0:00:19whether to stay in the UK
0:00:19 > 0:00:22or start a new life in Australia.
0:00:22 > 0:00:25Four years on, we've caught up with them
0:00:25 > 0:00:28to find out where they now call home.
0:00:28 > 0:00:30Gill and Stuart Orrett were desperate to move closer
0:00:30 > 0:00:32to their eldest daughter Christine
0:00:32 > 0:00:34and get to know their first granddaughter,
0:00:34 > 0:00:37who was growing up thousands of miles away.
0:00:37 > 0:00:41How she changes every day is something that can only...
0:00:41 > 0:00:45you know, make you beam inside with happiness and pleasure,
0:00:45 > 0:00:46more than anything else.
0:00:46 > 0:00:50But moving to Australia meant facing some heartbreaking decisions.
0:00:50 > 0:00:52We knew we'd have to make this choice between
0:00:52 > 0:00:54being there for our parents and being here for our kids
0:00:54 > 0:00:56and our grandchildren.
0:00:57 > 0:00:59- Yeah.- It's a tough one.
0:00:59 > 0:01:02So, four years on, have the family being reunited,
0:01:02 > 0:01:05or do they remain on separate sides of the world?
0:01:06 > 0:01:07It's been a win-win situation.
0:01:07 > 0:01:10I'm still 100% sure we've done the right thing.
0:01:34 > 0:01:36Australia is the most popular destination
0:01:36 > 0:01:38for Brits emigrating abroad.
0:01:38 > 0:01:42They're tempted by the promise of a better life down under.
0:01:42 > 0:01:46But the reality of leaving behind everything and everyone
0:01:46 > 0:01:49can sometimes turn that dream into a nightmare.
0:01:51 > 0:01:54In 2012, the Orrett family set off on a journey
0:01:54 > 0:01:58they hoped would change their lives for ever.
0:01:58 > 0:02:01They'd just one week to decide whether to leave behind
0:02:01 > 0:02:03friends and loved ones
0:02:03 > 0:02:06so they could be closer to their baby granddaughter.
0:02:06 > 0:02:11Today, we're going back to find out the final outcome for the Orretts.
0:02:12 > 0:02:15Back then, the family were living in Chester.
0:02:15 > 0:02:19Stuart worked in catering, while wife Gill was a paramedic.
0:02:19 > 0:02:23Of their four children, the two youngest, Matt, then 14,
0:02:23 > 0:02:26and Lauren, 17, were still living at home.
0:02:27 > 0:02:31They were enjoying life, but at a cost.
0:02:31 > 0:02:32For the past 20 years,
0:02:32 > 0:02:35Stuart had been working incredibly long hours
0:02:35 > 0:02:37to build up his catering business.
0:02:37 > 0:02:39I mean, I might do a 60-, 70-hour week,
0:02:39 > 0:02:41but that feels part-time to me.
0:02:41 > 0:02:45When you've done probably 100 plus hours a week,
0:02:45 > 0:02:48going down to 60 or 70, it's like being let off early.
0:02:48 > 0:02:50You feel guilty coming home!
0:02:51 > 0:02:53Providing for his family had meant missing out
0:02:53 > 0:02:55on seeing some of his children grow up.
0:02:55 > 0:02:57It has taken its toll.
0:02:57 > 0:03:01I feel as though, with the two older children,
0:03:01 > 0:03:04I didn't spend as much time with them as I do with the younger ones,
0:03:04 > 0:03:08because we were developing the businesses when they were young.
0:03:08 > 0:03:11Stuart and Gill have two other daughters -
0:03:11 > 0:03:14Samantha, who's spent a lot of time working on cruise ships,
0:03:14 > 0:03:15was happy to emigrate,
0:03:15 > 0:03:19and eldest daughter Christine was already living in Australia.
0:03:19 > 0:03:21With Christine expecting her first baby,
0:03:21 > 0:03:23the couple were desperate to move down under
0:03:23 > 0:03:25and bring their family together.
0:03:26 > 0:03:28Christine's emigrated out there in January
0:03:28 > 0:03:31and married to a chap who lives in Perth
0:03:31 > 0:03:35and having a baby and it's going to be our first grandchild.
0:03:35 > 0:03:38And we just feel this is a big transition in our lives.
0:03:38 > 0:03:40We don't want to be just visiting them for two or three months
0:03:40 > 0:03:42and have to come back here.
0:03:42 > 0:03:44Moving wasn't going to be easy, though.
0:03:44 > 0:03:46As a qualified paramedic,
0:03:46 > 0:03:49Gill was the only family member eligible for a visa,
0:03:49 > 0:03:52and that meant finding work in Australia.
0:03:52 > 0:03:55You know, I will feel quite disappointed
0:03:55 > 0:03:57if I let them down by not getting a job.
0:03:57 > 0:03:59But the clock was ticking.
0:03:59 > 0:04:02With the age limit for a skilled migration visa set at 50,
0:04:02 > 0:04:04Gill was running out of time.
0:04:04 > 0:04:07- The years just sort of ticked by, didn't they?- They did.
0:04:07 > 0:04:09And then we suddenly realised,
0:04:09 > 0:04:12"We keep talking about it, we're going to have to do it."
0:04:12 > 0:04:16However, the ideal life in Australia meant facing potential heartache,
0:04:16 > 0:04:19for the Orretts and those they loved.
0:04:19 > 0:04:22Talking about Stuart's parents, they're not going to be able to
0:04:22 > 0:04:24travel over to Australia - we know that,
0:04:24 > 0:04:26they won't make that journey.
0:04:26 > 0:04:29The people I would miss the most are, obviously, my parents.
0:04:29 > 0:04:32That would be the hardest thing of all.
0:04:32 > 0:04:35Everything was resting on their week in Australia.
0:04:35 > 0:04:37Could they find the life they were dreaming of,
0:04:37 > 0:04:41or would it be too difficult to leave family and friends behind?
0:04:46 > 0:04:49Thanks to its warm Mediterranean climate
0:04:49 > 0:04:51and plenty of job opportunities,
0:04:51 > 0:04:55Perth looked like the perfect place for the Orretts to explore.
0:04:55 > 0:04:59And with their daughter Christine and her new family already there,
0:04:59 > 0:05:01Stuart and Gill were desperate to see
0:05:01 > 0:05:03if they could make a go of it in the city as well.
0:05:06 > 0:05:09All the Orretts, including older sister Samantha,
0:05:09 > 0:05:13made the 10,000-mile, 24-hour trip to Perth,
0:05:13 > 0:05:15and their first priority when they landed
0:05:15 > 0:05:17was to meet the new arrival.
0:05:17 > 0:05:20This is what a potential move was all about -
0:05:20 > 0:05:23a chance to bring their family together again.
0:05:23 > 0:05:25So cute!
0:05:25 > 0:05:28It really opens your eyes, you know,
0:05:28 > 0:05:32to see your eldest with a baby of her own and a new family starting.
0:05:32 > 0:05:34We're going to be considering our grandchildren
0:05:34 > 0:05:35as well as our own children.
0:05:38 > 0:05:42It's been tremendous, just watching expressions change
0:05:42 > 0:05:45as her face starts to open up a little bit.
0:05:45 > 0:05:47Everyone was smitten with the new baby,
0:05:47 > 0:05:49but the Orretts had only seven days
0:05:49 > 0:05:51to see if they could make a life there.
0:05:51 > 0:05:54Hopefully we'll be here to spoil her
0:05:54 > 0:05:55and watch her grow up but...
0:05:57 > 0:05:58..only time will tell.
0:05:58 > 0:06:01Beautiful girl, aren't you, yeah?
0:06:07 > 0:06:12The Orretts stayed near Christine, in the Rockingham area of Perth.
0:06:12 > 0:06:14Their accommodation for the week would give them
0:06:14 > 0:06:16a good idea of Australian-style living.
0:06:20 > 0:06:23- Oh, this is nice. - The decking is nice, isn't it?
0:06:23 > 0:06:25- It's good.- I like it open-plan.
0:06:25 > 0:06:27The layout went down well.
0:06:31 > 0:06:33How do you turn on the TV?
0:06:34 > 0:06:36You get the remote.
0:06:36 > 0:06:39- You can watch it when you're cleaning all the dishes!- Ha, no.
0:06:39 > 0:06:41Nice try, Stuart!
0:06:41 > 0:06:44Overall, the reactions were positive.
0:06:47 > 0:06:50- For rented accommodation, yeah, I like it. Do you?- Yeah, it's OK.
0:06:50 > 0:06:53It's practical for what we need at the moment. It's a good base.
0:06:53 > 0:06:55The area's right for us to have a look,
0:06:55 > 0:06:59and everything seems...simplistic,
0:06:59 > 0:07:01which is ideal for what we need.
0:07:04 > 0:07:09Back in the UK, the Orretts lived in a four-bedroom house in Chester.
0:07:09 > 0:07:11Their budget for a property in Australia
0:07:11 > 0:07:16was between £350,000 and £500,000.
0:07:18 > 0:07:20An Australian home would have to give them
0:07:20 > 0:07:22everything they needed straightaway.
0:07:22 > 0:07:24I think what I'm looking for in an Australian house is,
0:07:24 > 0:07:26I would like a pool.
0:07:26 > 0:07:28- Snooker table. - I like the open-plan living.
0:07:28 > 0:07:31- Easy to maintain. - Some outside space to entertain.
0:07:31 > 0:07:33A hot tub, or something.
0:07:33 > 0:07:35- Modern.- Modern. - A nice balcony.- Games room.
0:07:35 > 0:07:38We would very much like to be able to just move in,
0:07:38 > 0:07:39put our furniture there
0:07:39 > 0:07:42and go out and enjoy the Australian lifestyle.
0:07:42 > 0:07:45The family had strong ideas about what they wanted
0:07:45 > 0:07:46from a house in Perth,
0:07:46 > 0:07:49but couldn't be sure their budget would be enough
0:07:49 > 0:07:51to buy them their dream home.
0:07:51 > 0:07:53Australian house prices had risen
0:07:53 > 0:07:58while exchange rates and property prices had dropped in the UK.
0:07:58 > 0:08:01We gave the Orretts a taste of the housing market in Perth.
0:08:01 > 0:08:04We lined up three properties based on their price range
0:08:04 > 0:08:07and what they wanted from their ideal home.
0:08:07 > 0:08:11Only after seeing each one did they find out how much it cost.
0:08:14 > 0:08:16The first house was in the Secret Harbour area,
0:08:16 > 0:08:20an hour from Perth city centre and, in an established neighbourhood,
0:08:20 > 0:08:24there were plenty of facilities nearby for families.
0:08:24 > 0:08:27The four-bedroom house was typically Aussie in style.
0:08:27 > 0:08:29Oh, this is nice, isn't it?
0:08:29 > 0:08:30This must be the lounge.
0:08:34 > 0:08:35I think it's quite dark, though.
0:08:37 > 0:08:39The kitchen is nice.
0:08:39 > 0:08:43Oh, it's got cupboards! It's got walk-in cupboards.
0:08:43 > 0:08:44I love them.
0:08:44 > 0:08:46It was sounding positive,
0:08:46 > 0:08:50but would this be a house worth moving across the world for?
0:08:50 > 0:08:54It hasn't got the wow factor. It's got the sensibility factor.
0:08:54 > 0:08:56But not the wow factor.
0:08:56 > 0:08:58It's got within-our-grasp factor.
0:09:00 > 0:09:02It wasn't a great start for the family's dream,
0:09:02 > 0:09:05but there was one feature that would lift their spirits.
0:09:05 > 0:09:08This is my ideal outdoor space.
0:09:08 > 0:09:11It's lovely. It's not overlooked.
0:09:11 > 0:09:14This would probably be a very good stepping stone property
0:09:14 > 0:09:16to feel our way over here
0:09:16 > 0:09:19and find out our actual needs when we get here.
0:09:21 > 0:09:24Overall, the house wasn't wowing the Orretts,
0:09:24 > 0:09:27but perhaps the price would make it more appealing.
0:09:27 > 0:09:29OK, Sam, would you like to do the honours?
0:09:33 > 0:09:34Wow.
0:09:37 > 0:09:40- That's good.- That's cheap. - That's OK.- Yeah.
0:09:40 > 0:09:45£358,000 was well within their £500,000 budget,
0:09:45 > 0:09:47but Lauren wasn't buying it.
0:09:47 > 0:09:51- You'd be comfortable in this house? - No, I think it's too boring.
0:09:51 > 0:09:53I think there's no view.
0:09:53 > 0:09:57It's more for, like...old people.
0:09:57 > 0:09:59Lauren had set the bar high,
0:09:59 > 0:10:02but Australian properties weren't really exciting
0:10:02 > 0:10:04the rest of the family either.
0:10:04 > 0:10:07Hopefully the next one would prove more popular.
0:10:08 > 0:10:10Also in Secret Harbour,
0:10:10 > 0:10:13this four-bedroom house was big enough for the Orretts
0:10:13 > 0:10:17and had a style that wasn't typically Aussie on the outside...
0:10:17 > 0:10:18or on the inside.
0:10:18 > 0:10:20Oh, that surprised me.
0:10:20 > 0:10:23- I expected that to be a bit more- open-plan. Yeah.
0:10:25 > 0:10:29There was just something about the look that wasn't working.
0:10:29 > 0:10:33- It's not a typical Australian home. I feel it's...- Too English.
0:10:33 > 0:10:34Too British.
0:10:35 > 0:10:37And things went from bad to worse.
0:10:40 > 0:10:43I'm sorry, but this is horrendous.
0:10:43 > 0:10:45It's not what I'd expect to see.
0:10:46 > 0:10:49Maybe the unusual feature in the open-plan living room
0:10:49 > 0:10:51would add some appeal.
0:10:53 > 0:10:56I wouldn't imagine a kitchen, dining room, snooker table.
0:10:56 > 0:10:59then it be rather than a kitchen, dining room, lounge.
0:11:00 > 0:11:03Luckily, there was something not so typically British
0:11:03 > 0:11:05to bring the family round.
0:11:05 > 0:11:08- That's a nice pool. - Oh, I love this pool.
0:11:09 > 0:11:12- That is awesome. - This bar area is...
0:11:14 > 0:11:16- It's very usable. - HE CHUCKLES
0:11:16 > 0:11:18The outside bit, I think it is so cool.
0:11:18 > 0:11:20I like it.
0:11:20 > 0:11:22While the house wasn't to everyone's taste,
0:11:22 > 0:11:26the outdoor space certainly tickled the family's fancy.
0:11:26 > 0:11:29But was it affordable on their £500,000 budget?
0:11:29 > 0:11:30The moment of truth.
0:11:35 > 0:11:37£467,000.
0:11:37 > 0:11:40750,000 Australian dollars.
0:11:40 > 0:11:42No, I think that's overpriced.
0:11:42 > 0:11:45No, that is well overpriced, in my estimation.
0:11:45 > 0:11:47It wasn't their idea of good value,
0:11:47 > 0:11:50but that could mean they were overestimating
0:11:50 > 0:11:52what they could achieve on their budget.
0:11:52 > 0:11:55It would all boil down to the last property.
0:11:56 > 0:11:58Staying in Secret Harbour,
0:11:58 > 0:11:59the third house was closer to the beach
0:11:59 > 0:12:02and surrounded by lots of open spaces.
0:12:02 > 0:12:05With plenty of room for the family,
0:12:05 > 0:12:08perhaps they could see themselves living in this five-bedroom house.
0:12:08 > 0:12:10That's nice, isn't it?
0:12:11 > 0:12:12Oh, that's nice.
0:12:12 > 0:12:15Oh, Matt, you want to see this.
0:12:15 > 0:12:17Oh, wow!
0:12:17 > 0:12:19Now, this is an entrance, isn't it?
0:12:19 > 0:12:22- This is a lot better. - Oh, it's gorgeous, isn't it?
0:12:22 > 0:12:25Oh, my God...
0:12:25 > 0:12:28It looked like they could imagine living here.
0:12:31 > 0:12:34- Very nice.- Oh, my God.
0:12:34 > 0:12:36This is fab, isn't it?
0:12:36 > 0:12:38Aw, it's dead good, isn't it?
0:12:38 > 0:12:40Stuart, get me a drink from the kitchen.
0:12:40 > 0:12:41This is stunning.
0:12:41 > 0:12:44- This is my ideal house. - Look at the kitchen, it's massive.
0:12:44 > 0:12:47And it wasn't just the inside winning Gill over.
0:12:49 > 0:12:51I need this house.
0:12:51 > 0:12:54- Do you, darling? - Yeah, I need this house.
0:12:54 > 0:12:57- You NEED.- I do. - What do you NEED about this house?
0:12:57 > 0:13:00Well, this is moving to Australia, isn't it? Look at it.
0:13:02 > 0:13:05The Orretts seemed to have finally arrived.
0:13:05 > 0:13:07I feel like I'm at home already.
0:13:07 > 0:13:10You've got your long drive, your gates, and your hammock, and...
0:13:10 > 0:13:12Yeah, and the jacuzzi, and the barbecue.
0:13:14 > 0:13:17I think it's gorgeous. I feel really comfortable here.
0:13:17 > 0:13:19This house got a great reaction all round,
0:13:19 > 0:13:22but there was still the small matter of the price.
0:13:22 > 0:13:25Ready? OK, no sharp intake of breath.
0:13:27 > 0:13:31The house cost nearly £600,000.
0:13:31 > 0:13:33That's not bad!
0:13:33 > 0:13:36Do you know what? That is actually less than what I thought it'd be.
0:13:36 > 0:13:38I thought it would be well over a million.
0:13:38 > 0:13:41That's not out of our reach completely.
0:13:41 > 0:13:44- Is it?- Well...- Nod, Stuart.
0:13:44 > 0:13:46- Say yes...- It's just...
0:13:46 > 0:13:48It's certainly one to think about, isn't it?
0:13:48 > 0:13:50What do you think, kids? Like the house?
0:13:50 > 0:13:52Yes. If we moved here, I'd do all the cleaning.
0:13:52 > 0:13:55- What was that, Matthew? - I'll do some cleaning.
0:13:55 > 0:13:57Nice try, Matthew,
0:13:57 > 0:14:00but affording this house would mean taking out a large mortgage,
0:14:00 > 0:14:02never mind the housework.
0:14:04 > 0:14:07So, what did the Orretts make of Perth houses?
0:14:07 > 0:14:09The first one was within budget
0:14:09 > 0:14:12and somewhere Gill and Stuart could call home - just.
0:14:12 > 0:14:15The second house was far too British in its styling
0:14:15 > 0:14:17and just didn't excite.
0:14:17 > 0:14:21But the third property was everything the Orretts had imagined,
0:14:21 > 0:14:24even if it would mean stretching their finances.
0:14:34 > 0:14:36- UK!- Australia!- Australia!
0:14:36 > 0:14:38- UK, Lauren?- Yeah.
0:14:38 > 0:14:39Why have you said that?
0:14:39 > 0:14:42I think that, out of the three houses that we've seen,
0:14:42 > 0:14:45only one of them is, like, amazing,
0:14:45 > 0:14:48and the two others are like typical English houses.
0:14:48 > 0:14:51And we're moving from England to have a fresh start,
0:14:51 > 0:14:53so what's the point in going to another house
0:14:53 > 0:14:56which is exactly...well, pretty much similar
0:14:56 > 0:14:58to the one that we've got in England?
0:14:58 > 0:15:01So the most expensive house would, obviously, swing your judgment
0:15:01 > 0:15:02at the end of the day?
0:15:02 > 0:15:04- Yeah.- Just a diva!
0:15:08 > 0:15:12In the UK, Stuart was running a busy catering company
0:15:12 > 0:15:15that he'd built up from scratch over 20 years.
0:15:15 > 0:15:19However, the recession meant the business had been suffering.
0:15:19 > 0:15:22It's been a very hard slog in comparison to what it was
0:15:22 > 0:15:24in, like, the glory years of maybe ten years ago.
0:15:26 > 0:15:28Stuart was hoping to sell his business
0:15:28 > 0:15:30and work for someone else in Australia.
0:15:33 > 0:15:36But it was Gill and her paramedic qualifications
0:15:36 > 0:15:38that held the key to emigrating.
0:15:38 > 0:15:40It's our ticket into Australia, me getting a job,
0:15:40 > 0:15:44so I do feel as if there's a certain responsibility on my shoulders
0:15:44 > 0:15:46at the moment for the family.
0:15:46 > 0:15:51I will feel quite disappointed if I let them down by not getting a job.
0:15:51 > 0:15:53We had arranged for Gill to meet Christian,
0:15:53 > 0:15:57an expat paramedic at the St John Emergency Centre in Perth.
0:15:57 > 0:16:01It looks smaller than what I'm used to working on.
0:16:01 > 0:16:03Absolutely. It's about half the size, I think, of a UK ambulance.
0:16:03 > 0:16:07While Gill got to grips with an Aussie ambulance,
0:16:07 > 0:16:11Stuart was beating Michael Davis, owner of a local catering firm.
0:16:11 > 0:16:14We have a team of staff that work over here, polish everything,
0:16:14 > 0:16:16straight back out onto the shelf, ready to go again.
0:16:16 > 0:16:20I have a couple of women who work for me who would die for this!
0:16:20 > 0:16:23Impressed, Stuart was keen to hear if a job would mean
0:16:23 > 0:16:27escaping the punishing hours he put in back home.
0:16:27 > 0:16:30The reason that we've focused so heavily on corporate catering,
0:16:30 > 0:16:32it's Monday to Friday, it's during the day.
0:16:32 > 0:16:35I'm home every night to have dinner with the kids.
0:16:35 > 0:16:38Regular hours were just what Stuart wanted,
0:16:38 > 0:16:40but what about the salary?
0:16:40 > 0:16:44We'd be looking at an average wage of about 60,000 per year.
0:16:44 > 0:16:46In my eyes, I'd be working part-time for a sensible wage,
0:16:46 > 0:16:49which is something I'd be interested in.
0:16:49 > 0:16:51Across town, Gill was getting down to
0:16:51 > 0:16:54the details of being a paramedic in Australia.
0:16:54 > 0:16:56As the main breadwinner,
0:16:56 > 0:16:59everything depended on her potential salary.
0:16:59 > 0:17:02Christian, could you tell me how much I could be expected to earn
0:17:02 > 0:17:05as a paramedic with three years' experience, in Western Australia?
0:17:05 > 0:17:07Well, a paramedic that has worked between one and three years
0:17:07 > 0:17:10would be on about 80,700 a year.
0:17:10 > 0:17:12Probably approximately double
0:17:12 > 0:17:15to what I'm earning at the moment in the UK.
0:17:15 > 0:17:18It was a great result for Gill.
0:17:18 > 0:17:20All in all, it had been a good day,
0:17:20 > 0:17:23and on meeting up, they were excited to share their news.
0:17:25 > 0:17:26So, what sort of hours would you be doing?
0:17:26 > 0:17:28You wouldn't be doing five o'clock starts
0:17:28 > 0:17:30and working till seven at night still, would you?
0:17:30 > 0:17:33No, it would be part-time - 40 hours a week!
0:17:33 > 0:17:36I just couldn't believe 40 hours a week is achievable,
0:17:36 > 0:17:38even for people who own the company.
0:17:38 > 0:17:40You know, it had to offer something pretty special
0:17:40 > 0:17:42to leave what I've got in the UK.
0:17:42 > 0:17:47But, yeah, the salary here is double what I'm earning in the UK.
0:17:47 > 0:17:50We're on a win-win situation by the sounds of it.
0:17:51 > 0:17:54So, when it came to voting for work, which way did they go?
0:18:01 > 0:18:04- Australia!- Australia!
0:18:04 > 0:18:06That was a surprise - not!
0:18:10 > 0:18:14Gill and Stuart's work prospects in Australia were looking promising,
0:18:14 > 0:18:16but they still faced the task
0:18:16 > 0:18:19of taking a hard look at their finances.
0:18:19 > 0:18:21To figure out if they'd be better or worse off,
0:18:21 > 0:18:24we'd provided them with a breakdown of their expenses.
0:18:26 > 0:18:27Oh, bacon's cheaper.
0:18:27 > 0:18:30You'll be all right for your bacon butties in the morning.
0:18:30 > 0:18:33I'll be spending £46.80 a week more.
0:18:33 > 0:18:37The cost of a weekly food shop wasn't the best start.
0:18:37 > 0:18:39Next came the bigger costs.
0:18:39 > 0:18:46£1,144.67 increase by living in Australia per month.
0:18:46 > 0:18:48It was a healthy boost in income,
0:18:48 > 0:18:52but basing their figures on the cheapest house they saw,
0:18:52 > 0:18:55would it allow them to take on a bigger mortgage?
0:18:55 > 0:18:59So, it would be £74 a month worse off living in Australia.
0:18:59 > 0:19:02That quite surprises me considering my income has...
0:19:02 > 0:19:05increased an awful lot.
0:19:05 > 0:19:10£74 a month wasn't a huge amount, so on paper, it was looking like
0:19:10 > 0:19:12the Orretts could afford Australia,
0:19:12 > 0:19:15but only if they opted for the house they least liked.
0:19:15 > 0:19:18Was that a sacrifice worth making?
0:19:24 > 0:19:26- Undecided!- Australia!
0:19:27 > 0:19:29Why have you voted Australia?
0:19:29 > 0:19:31We're not going to be much worse off,
0:19:31 > 0:19:35but we are going to benefit from, obviously, seeing our grandchild,
0:19:35 > 0:19:36the weather.
0:19:36 > 0:19:39The whole lifestyle here will benefit us as a family.
0:19:42 > 0:19:45Seeing their living costs in black and white
0:19:45 > 0:19:46was a shock for Gill,
0:19:46 > 0:19:50but a move down under was always about being together as a family.
0:19:51 > 0:19:55With Stuart working long hours and Gill doing shifts in the UK,
0:19:55 > 0:19:59spending time outdoors was rare, and limited by the British weather.
0:20:01 > 0:20:03The Orretts visited Fremantle Harbour
0:20:03 > 0:20:05to enjoy a spot of fishing.
0:20:05 > 0:20:09It would offer a taste of what Australia could be about for them.
0:20:09 > 0:20:13We're here at the moment, enjoying this wonderful lifestyle,
0:20:13 > 0:20:17and I'm trying to put family and the UK to the back of my mind.
0:20:17 > 0:20:21But Stuart couldn't escape thoughts of leaving his parents in the UK.
0:20:21 > 0:20:25To take that safety blanket away is going to be a big, big
0:20:25 > 0:20:28you know, wrench for me particularly.
0:20:30 > 0:20:32So, would the Orretts be hooked by
0:20:32 > 0:20:34the lifestyle they could enjoy down under?
0:20:43 > 0:20:47- Australia!- Undecided!
0:20:47 > 0:20:48Oh, why?
0:20:48 > 0:20:53- Because you didn't catch any fish! - Sore loser!
0:20:53 > 0:20:56Wahey!
0:20:56 > 0:20:59Voting against the girls because he caught less fish?
0:20:59 > 0:21:01That's what I call unsporting.
0:21:05 > 0:21:08Emigrating would mean the Orretts saying goodbye
0:21:08 > 0:21:10to loved ones in the UK.
0:21:10 > 0:21:12The family had decided to watch messages
0:21:12 > 0:21:14from friends and family together.
0:21:14 > 0:21:16Would it make them rethink their move?
0:21:16 > 0:21:18'Hi, Stuart, hi, Gill, hi, kids.'
0:21:18 > 0:21:21Hope you're having a great time there.
0:21:21 > 0:21:22- Hi, Stu.- Hello, Stu.
0:21:22 > 0:21:24'Hope you're enjoying yourself.'
0:21:24 > 0:21:25Hello!
0:21:25 > 0:21:27- Yay!- 'We miss you.'
0:21:27 > 0:21:29Gill and Stuart, and the family,
0:21:29 > 0:21:31they're very supportive of each other.
0:21:31 > 0:21:33'And very caring towards each other.'
0:21:36 > 0:21:38They're great fun to be with.
0:21:38 > 0:21:41'They're committed 100% to whatever they're doing.'
0:21:41 > 0:21:45Stuart is like his mother, he's soft.
0:21:45 > 0:21:46That's true.
0:21:46 > 0:21:50'He takes everybody's worries on himself, you know?'
0:21:50 > 0:21:54'He's a good-hearted lad, very good-hearted.'
0:21:54 > 0:21:57She's been my best friend since I was four and stuff,
0:21:57 > 0:21:58and it's going to be a big
0:21:58 > 0:22:01- 'part of my life, like...- Gone. - Gone, yeah.'
0:22:03 > 0:22:05- 'We really felt... - It wasn't going to be a holiday.
0:22:05 > 0:22:07'..we'd better be prepared
0:22:07 > 0:22:09'because we're going to be told
0:22:09 > 0:22:13'they're going to want to go to Australia.'
0:22:15 > 0:22:20To think they're all going so far away, it's pretty difficult.
0:22:20 > 0:22:22'We'd really miss them, wouldn't we?
0:22:22 > 0:22:23'Yeah, we would.'
0:22:23 > 0:22:27It's only when they're packing and they go,
0:22:27 > 0:22:30we'll sit down and we'll realise, they've gone.
0:22:32 > 0:22:35And that's that initial link gone.
0:22:37 > 0:22:39Come on.
0:22:43 > 0:22:47The reality check of seeing friends and family...
0:22:49 > 0:22:54is...so hard to take on board, really,
0:22:54 > 0:22:55because you do tend to...
0:22:57 > 0:23:00..think that they're always going to be there.
0:23:00 > 0:23:02And as much as they're there, they're a long way away.
0:23:13 > 0:23:15We knew we'd have to make this choice,
0:23:15 > 0:23:18between being there for our parents and being here for our kids
0:23:18 > 0:23:19and our grandchildren.
0:23:20 > 0:23:22- Yeah.- And it's a tough one.
0:23:23 > 0:23:25A really tough one.
0:23:27 > 0:23:28The week had shown the Orretts
0:23:28 > 0:23:31the heartache of missing family back home
0:23:31 > 0:23:34had to be weighed up against a huge positive.
0:23:34 > 0:23:38Seeing Olivia, just a few days old, how she changes everyday,
0:23:38 > 0:23:41it's something that can only, you know
0:23:41 > 0:23:44make you beam inside with happiness and pleasure,
0:23:44 > 0:23:46more than anything else.
0:23:46 > 0:23:49The thought of not seeing that is very daunting
0:23:49 > 0:23:53and not a thought I'd like to dwell on too much.
0:23:54 > 0:23:57I still do worry, when we do get on that plane,
0:23:57 > 0:24:00if that's the decision we're going to make, what are we leaving behind?
0:24:00 > 0:24:03Will they be able to make this journey out here to see us?
0:24:03 > 0:24:09Particularly Stuart's parents, who don't travel that well these days.
0:24:09 > 0:24:11It hits home exactly how hard it is.
0:24:13 > 0:24:14Being so close to them...
0:24:17 > 0:24:18I don't know.
0:24:18 > 0:24:22It's going to be a very hard decision to make.
0:24:22 > 0:24:25There will always be the daily contact with them, no matter what.
0:24:28 > 0:24:31It's just for the emergency times, it's going to be hard.
0:24:32 > 0:24:33So...
0:24:35 > 0:24:38It was time for the final vote.
0:24:38 > 0:24:40Had everyone been convinced to move,
0:24:40 > 0:24:43or would the Orretts remain divided across the globe?
0:24:46 > 0:24:48We've had a fantastic week in Australia,
0:24:48 > 0:24:51and based on our experiences, we've decided to live in...
0:25:06 > 0:25:08- Australia!- Australia!
0:25:10 > 0:25:12You're undecided, Lauren?
0:25:12 > 0:25:14Have you decided Australia?
0:25:14 > 0:25:18- Why did you say that? - Because I don't know. Still unsure.
0:25:18 > 0:25:19I knew you'd be like that.
0:25:19 > 0:25:20Like, now being here,
0:25:20 > 0:25:24and now, like, seeing back all my friends and everything,
0:25:24 > 0:25:26- I'm just unsure. - That's all right.
0:25:26 > 0:25:28How about you, Gill?
0:25:28 > 0:25:32We've just got to give it a go, for the kids, for our grandchildren.
0:25:32 > 0:25:35If we don't try it, we'll never know, will we?
0:25:35 > 0:25:38I think Lauren could probably be convinced about the move.
0:25:38 > 0:25:41I think it's just seeing your friends has reminded you about
0:25:41 > 0:25:43what you have got in the UK.
0:25:43 > 0:25:46- It does make you a bit sad, doesn't it?- Yeah.
0:25:47 > 0:25:51I'll just have to bring them all along, put them in a suitcase.
0:25:51 > 0:25:54I think the decisions have obviously spoke volumes
0:25:54 > 0:25:57for the family's thoughts overall,
0:25:57 > 0:26:00weighing up all the pros and cons of what we have to do,
0:26:00 > 0:26:04and...I think we've got to make the decision,
0:26:04 > 0:26:07which we have done, and go for it!
0:26:08 > 0:26:10- Yay!- Yay!
0:26:14 > 0:26:17When we caught up with the family in 2013,
0:26:17 > 0:26:19they were still living in...
0:26:19 > 0:26:21the UK.
0:26:21 > 0:26:23But their week down under had convinced Stuart and Gill
0:26:23 > 0:26:26Australia was where they wanted to be.
0:26:26 > 0:26:29It felt as if you were home, really, the minute you arrived there.
0:26:29 > 0:26:32Being introduced to the couple's first granddaughter, Olivia,
0:26:32 > 0:26:35was an experience they'd never forget.
0:26:35 > 0:26:39Meeting our granddaughter for the first time was absolutely perfect.
0:26:39 > 0:26:42To have that time with her when she was just born
0:26:42 > 0:26:45and seeing her just born, it was really great.
0:26:45 > 0:26:48When they arrived back home, Gill and Stuart were desperate
0:26:48 > 0:26:51to return to Australia as soon as they could.
0:26:51 > 0:26:53We felt as if we really just wanted to pack and go back again,
0:26:53 > 0:26:54I think, didn't we?
0:26:54 > 0:26:57And it looked like that was going to happen quickly.
0:26:57 > 0:26:58Paramedic Gill had a job interview
0:26:58 > 0:27:00at the end of the family's stay in Perth
0:27:00 > 0:27:03and had received great news on her return to the UK.
0:27:04 > 0:27:08When we arrived home, one of the first things I did
0:27:08 > 0:27:10was check my e-mails, and I was quite excited
0:27:10 > 0:27:14because I'd passed the interview that I'd had while we were out there
0:27:14 > 0:27:15and everything was set in order.
0:27:15 > 0:27:18And they said the next stage will be to start the visa process.
0:27:18 > 0:27:22I was pencilled in to actually start on the 3rd of February.
0:27:22 > 0:27:25Daughter Lauren had proved a sticking point
0:27:25 > 0:27:27after voting undecided in Australia,
0:27:27 > 0:27:30but with her boyfriend recently having moved to America,
0:27:30 > 0:27:31she was slowly coming round.
0:27:34 > 0:27:37I do want to go out to Australia for a couple of months.
0:27:37 > 0:27:39The first few weeks will feel like a holiday,
0:27:39 > 0:27:43and then, like, settle in a bit more,
0:27:43 > 0:27:46see what it would be like as, like, lifestyle out there.
0:27:46 > 0:27:50Everyone was excited about the prospect of returning to Perth,
0:27:50 > 0:27:53but a devastating message from Gill's future employer
0:27:53 > 0:27:55brought everything to a grinding halt.
0:27:58 > 0:28:01Just before Christmas, I received an e-mail,
0:28:01 > 0:28:04a very apologetic e-mail,
0:28:04 > 0:28:06that due to their workforce requirements,
0:28:06 > 0:28:08they were unable to give me a start date,
0:28:08 > 0:28:10but would be in touch in the future.
0:28:10 > 0:28:13We were really flat.
0:28:13 > 0:28:15We'd been looking forward to going for so long.
0:28:15 > 0:28:18And there was more bad news to come.
0:28:18 > 0:28:21My dad passed away at the beginning of the year.
0:28:23 > 0:28:26If Gill's start date hadn't been postponed,
0:28:26 > 0:28:29Stuart would have missed the chance to say goodbye to his dad.
0:28:31 > 0:28:33When we looked at it, we would have been on the plane,
0:28:33 > 0:28:37or had just arrived in Australia, to start our new life
0:28:37 > 0:28:40when his father was in intensive care here.
0:28:40 > 0:28:47So, ironic as it was, in a way, we were glad we were still here.
0:28:47 > 0:28:50They'd come so close, but the loss of Stuart's father
0:28:50 > 0:28:52and Gill's job offer being put on hold
0:28:52 > 0:28:55blew their plans out of the water.
0:28:56 > 0:29:00It felt as if we saw the new life within touching distance
0:29:00 > 0:29:03and then had the rug pulled from under us.
0:29:03 > 0:29:05With the future in mind
0:29:05 > 0:29:08and the thought of missing granddaughter Olivia grow up,
0:29:08 > 0:29:10the Orretts were still determined to make the move, though.
0:29:12 > 0:29:14I mean, she's changing all the time.
0:29:14 > 0:29:17You know, we've noticed, since we've come back from Australia
0:29:17 > 0:29:19and speaking to her on the internet,
0:29:19 > 0:29:21the way she's changed.
0:29:21 > 0:29:23And to miss those early days
0:29:23 > 0:29:26is something that we don't really want to miss.
0:29:28 > 0:29:30But until Gill's offer of work came through,
0:29:30 > 0:29:34the family had no choice but to stay put and play the waiting game.
0:29:34 > 0:29:38We really do feel as if we're teetering on the edge of a cliff,
0:29:38 > 0:29:41and we want to make that leap and we can't at the moment.
0:29:41 > 0:29:44Matthew, like the rest of the family,
0:29:44 > 0:29:48was waiting on that crucial call confirming Gill's job is back on.
0:29:48 > 0:29:50It really is frustrating not knowing when you're going to Australia
0:29:50 > 0:29:53cos I just want to get out there.
0:29:53 > 0:29:54He comes in everyday from school,
0:29:54 > 0:29:56"Have you heard, have you heard yet?"
0:29:56 > 0:29:59I just keep saying, "Trust me, you'll know when I've heard,
0:29:59 > 0:30:02"I'll be the one walking around with Billabong on my hat."
0:30:02 > 0:30:04It was taking longer than they'd hoped,
0:30:04 > 0:30:08but the Orretts were ready and willing to up sticks and move
0:30:08 > 0:30:10to the other side of the world.
0:30:10 > 0:30:15Should we get the call, we'll have a last-minute party and off we go.
0:30:15 > 0:30:18Secretly, we'd like to be out there in the next three or four months,
0:30:18 > 0:30:21but because we've had this disappointment,
0:30:21 > 0:30:23we're not getting our hopes up.
0:30:23 > 0:30:26But we're ready to go whenever they want us.
0:30:26 > 0:30:30And they were confident the long wait would be worth it.
0:30:30 > 0:30:33It's very exciting, to go out there and...
0:30:35 > 0:30:37..hopefully live the life in the sunshine
0:30:37 > 0:30:39and enjoy it to the full.
0:30:39 > 0:30:41I think we'll be doing an awful lot of baby-sitting.
0:30:41 > 0:30:42Will you?
0:30:47 > 0:30:51Having survived heartbreak and disappointment,
0:30:51 > 0:30:55Stuart and Gill were looking forward to finally getting the green light
0:30:55 > 0:30:57to start their new life in Australia.
0:30:57 > 0:31:00So, three years on, where are they now?
0:31:02 > 0:31:05It's April 2016, and the Orretts are living in...
0:31:07 > 0:31:11- ..Western Australia! - Yay!- Yay!
0:31:11 > 0:31:14Having finally made the move just under a year ago.
0:31:15 > 0:31:19Home is a ground-floor apartment in the port city of Fremantle,
0:31:19 > 0:31:22just 25 minutes south of Perth.
0:31:22 > 0:31:25Getting here, however, hasn't been easy.
0:31:25 > 0:31:27Australia tried to keep us out, but didn't achieve it.
0:31:27 > 0:31:30You know...we have had lots of knockbacks.
0:31:30 > 0:31:34But we've stuck together as a family, as the Orretts do.
0:31:35 > 0:31:39The biggest hurdle was more bad news about Gill's offer.
0:31:39 > 0:31:43I've been e-mailing them every month to find out what was going on
0:31:43 > 0:31:45and wasn't really getting any straight answers.
0:31:45 > 0:31:48And then I was told, eventually, that it didn't look likely
0:31:48 > 0:31:51it was going to happen for about 18 months to two years.
0:31:51 > 0:31:54The couple knew they couldn't wait.
0:31:54 > 0:31:56But giving up on the dream wasn't an option.
0:31:56 > 0:31:59We were 100% sure that we wanted to be here,
0:31:59 > 0:32:01this is where we wanted to be.
0:32:01 > 0:32:03And it was just a case of, right, how are we going to get there?
0:32:03 > 0:32:06It was the focus we'd had, and obviously,
0:32:06 > 0:32:10there's more ways of skinning a cat at the end of the day.
0:32:10 > 0:32:13The turning point came when Gill discovered she was eligible
0:32:13 > 0:32:16to become a nursing student in Australia.
0:32:16 > 0:32:18I started the ball rolling from home,
0:32:18 > 0:32:21filling the application forms in online
0:32:21 > 0:32:25and being interviewed on the telephone.
0:32:25 > 0:32:28Gill received an offer from Perth's University of Notre Dame
0:32:28 > 0:32:30in April 2015,
0:32:30 > 0:32:33and from that moment, it was all systems go.
0:32:34 > 0:32:36Put this on to do your pulse.
0:32:37 > 0:32:39Everything happened quite quickly.
0:32:39 > 0:32:41Accepted for July, visa and everything was sorted.
0:32:41 > 0:32:43The house went on the market, we got an offer on the house...
0:32:43 > 0:32:46Just everything seemed to happen in...
0:32:47 > 0:32:50- Weeks.- Within weeks, didn't it? - Yeah.
0:32:50 > 0:32:52The couple decided Gill would go ahead
0:32:52 > 0:32:56while Stuart and Matthew stayed in the UK to tie up loose ends.
0:32:56 > 0:33:00You said as well, "No, you just go. I'll sort the house out."
0:33:00 > 0:33:03And... Which was the scariest thought.
0:33:06 > 0:33:08The drinking champagne as a family on the plane
0:33:08 > 0:33:11coming over here celebrating what will be a new life
0:33:11 > 0:33:14and that sort of thing was definitely shelved for a bit.
0:33:14 > 0:33:17You make all these plans and, you know,
0:33:17 > 0:33:21you have all these grand ideas, but it never happens like that.
0:33:21 > 0:33:23That's life. Well, that's our life, isn't it?
0:33:23 > 0:33:24It is, yeah.
0:33:24 > 0:33:27Gill set of just weeks later,
0:33:27 > 0:33:30but panic set in when she touched back down in Australia.
0:33:30 > 0:33:32When I opened my phone at the airport,
0:33:32 > 0:33:34I'd had a message from the university -
0:33:34 > 0:33:37"If you don't enrol by 5 o'clock tomorrow, you're not on the course."
0:33:37 > 0:33:39So that was a bit scary!
0:33:39 > 0:33:43But I had e-mailed them prior to say that I was going to be arriving
0:33:43 > 0:33:46very close to the uni start date.
0:33:46 > 0:33:48Fortunately, she signed up the following day.
0:33:48 > 0:33:50Staying with family,
0:33:50 > 0:33:53Gill then spent the next few months adjusting to student life.
0:33:53 > 0:33:54It was a big change for me, coming here
0:33:54 > 0:33:56and getting my head in the books again.
0:33:56 > 0:34:00Although it's great cos I'm just expanding my clinical knowledge
0:34:00 > 0:34:03into another area, and it's quite exciting to go...
0:34:03 > 0:34:07There's so many different areas you can go into in nursing.
0:34:07 > 0:34:09By October, the house in the UK was sold,
0:34:09 > 0:34:12and Stuart and Matthew could finally look forward
0:34:12 > 0:34:14to starting their new life, too.
0:34:16 > 0:34:18The money eventually hit our bank
0:34:18 > 0:34:20the night before we were due to fly out,
0:34:20 > 0:34:25which was just such a relief, more than anything else.
0:34:25 > 0:34:27It was now... It's done now.
0:34:27 > 0:34:30Let's get on this plane, let's enjoy the flight,
0:34:30 > 0:34:31and let's just go.
0:34:31 > 0:34:35But the journey back down under wasn't straightforward.
0:34:35 > 0:34:39We ended up having a 40-odd-hour flight to get here,
0:34:39 > 0:34:42which was, to say a bit of nightmare, was an understatement.
0:34:42 > 0:34:46But, once you're here, you're here, and there's no going back.
0:34:46 > 0:34:48Five weeks after their reunion,
0:34:48 > 0:34:52Stuart, Gill and Matthew moved into their apartment in Fremantle,
0:34:52 > 0:34:54minus their belongings from the UK.
0:34:56 > 0:35:01It's just, like, nice for just finally to just be the three of us.
0:35:01 > 0:35:03- Yeah.- And it's our home.
0:35:03 > 0:35:05- Sleeping on the floor. - Sleeping on the floor.
0:35:05 > 0:35:08But then, when the container arrived the following week,
0:35:08 > 0:35:10it was just great.
0:35:10 > 0:35:11It was like Christmas again.
0:35:11 > 0:35:14Gill had picked the property before the boys arrived,
0:35:14 > 0:35:17but Stuart was more than happy with her choice.
0:35:19 > 0:35:23When I first viewed this apartment, I mean, this just blew me away.
0:35:23 > 0:35:26To have an apartment with so much outdoor space.
0:35:26 > 0:35:30A lot of the houses I was looking at didn't have this outdoor space.
0:35:30 > 0:35:32And this sort of made me decide,
0:35:32 > 0:35:35"Yeah, this is the sort of place that we could be."
0:35:35 > 0:35:38It's certainly a fabulous outdoor space,
0:35:38 > 0:35:42and the aspect overlooking the water is just...it's phenomenal.
0:35:42 > 0:35:44It's so relaxing, very tranquil,
0:35:44 > 0:35:47and it just adds to the whole environment.
0:35:47 > 0:35:51Just watching the weather change of an evening,
0:35:51 > 0:35:52watching everything go by,
0:35:52 > 0:35:56You've just got everything here that you want, just to sit.
0:35:56 > 0:35:59we have a lovely conversation, and the world goes by us.
0:35:59 > 0:36:01And the one thing I like about out here -
0:36:01 > 0:36:04if you spill the beer, you just hose it down.
0:36:04 > 0:36:06How many beers do you have to spill?
0:36:06 > 0:36:09Oh, heaven forbid! I'm never going to spill one.
0:36:11 > 0:36:13Stuart and Gill's original plan was to convince
0:36:13 > 0:36:17daughters Lauren and Samantha to follow them to Australia.
0:36:17 > 0:36:21As it turned out, Lauren was first to make the move in 2014.
0:36:21 > 0:36:24So, I came back from America, and two weeks later,
0:36:24 > 0:36:27I packed my bags and went over to Australia, and I haven't been back.
0:36:27 > 0:36:29it was a couple of months after her 18th,
0:36:29 > 0:36:31she decided it was definitely the place for her,
0:36:31 > 0:36:34she wasn't waiting for anybody else, and she just upped and went.
0:36:34 > 0:36:38The two years since have seen massive changes in Lauren's life.
0:36:39 > 0:36:43I met my partner over here, managed to build a house,
0:36:43 > 0:36:45managed to get a job.
0:36:45 > 0:36:49You know, I work six days a week, and on the Sundays,
0:36:49 > 0:36:53you're allowed to go to the beach and appreciate the weather.
0:36:53 > 0:36:55And done with sailing the world,
0:36:55 > 0:36:58sister Samantha had decided to follow in her footsteps.
0:36:58 > 0:37:02I'd finished on cruise ships, but I still wasn't settling at home.
0:37:02 > 0:37:04Both of my sisters were out here at the time,
0:37:04 > 0:37:07and I just thought I'd come out here and give it a go.
0:37:08 > 0:37:13Stuart and Gill's original plans had been well and truly cast aside.
0:37:13 > 0:37:15It was initially our dream to bring them here,
0:37:15 > 0:37:18- and they're all here and we're not! - They went without us!
0:37:18 > 0:37:21Yeah, we're being left out a little bit here.
0:37:21 > 0:37:26which was a bit strange, but we knew we'd get here at some point.
0:37:26 > 0:37:30I won't invite you next time...
0:37:30 > 0:37:33And now here, they're able to spend time as a family again.
0:37:35 > 0:37:37Obviously the main reason coming out here
0:37:37 > 0:37:39is to be with the children and the grandchildren.
0:37:39 > 0:37:42Although at times, Stuart and I think, "What have we done?"
0:37:42 > 0:37:43because it's so flipping noisy in here.
0:37:43 > 0:37:46We had 13 for Christmas dinner.
0:37:46 > 0:37:48They always seem to need feeding when they turn up.
0:37:48 > 0:37:52Somehow or other, these kids don't seem to eat in their own homes.
0:37:52 > 0:37:54Do you want a burger to go on your bun?
0:37:54 > 0:37:55But it's great.
0:37:55 > 0:37:59All joking apart, that's why we're here, that's family life.
0:37:59 > 0:38:02Matthew is enjoying spending time with his sisters.
0:38:02 > 0:38:05It's so much better just seeing them face-to-face,
0:38:05 > 0:38:07having a laugh with them, or doing whatever.
0:38:07 > 0:38:09- SAMANTHA:- It is like dream come true
0:38:09 > 0:38:12cos it's been a long road to get here.
0:38:12 > 0:38:16We've all come out in dribs and drabs and now we're finally here,
0:38:16 > 0:38:18it's like the icing on the cake.
0:38:18 > 0:38:21Gill and Stuart meanwhile are enjoying getting to know
0:38:21 > 0:38:23their new granddaughter Elsie
0:38:23 > 0:38:26and hanging out with Olivia, who is now four.
0:38:26 > 0:38:28It's lovely the way she runs up, "Hello, Nanny!"
0:38:28 > 0:38:32It's nice, it's better than just seeing her on a television screen.
0:38:32 > 0:38:34It's great to be able to go and pick her up after school.
0:38:34 > 0:38:37When we get in, just spend an hour or two together, take her home.
0:38:37 > 0:38:39We're going down!
0:38:40 > 0:38:43It's such a pleasant time.
0:38:43 > 0:38:47Gill's parents flew out for some time with them all recently, too.
0:38:47 > 0:38:50Yeah, it was great, and they genuinely did have a great time.
0:38:50 > 0:38:52I've spoken to them since they've been home
0:38:52 > 0:38:55and they're already planning another trip out here.
0:38:55 > 0:38:59And Stuart's still in regular contact with his mum back in the UK.
0:39:00 > 0:39:02I still speak to her everyday, which is wonderful.
0:39:02 > 0:39:05- We bought her an iPad. - We bought her an iPad.
0:39:05 > 0:39:08And, yeah, she's got really used to using that.
0:39:08 > 0:39:11Mum is very non-techno,
0:39:11 > 0:39:13but she can now do her shopping online, which is wonderful.
0:39:15 > 0:39:17Great to see her on a daily basis.
0:39:18 > 0:39:21- Can you see Grandad? - I can see Dad!
0:39:21 > 0:39:24It's been an enjoyable few months, and having come this far,
0:39:24 > 0:39:28Gill's determined to make sure her decision to retrain pays off.
0:39:29 > 0:39:31Failing's not an option.
0:39:31 > 0:39:33We've committed too much to this.
0:39:33 > 0:39:36I mean, the ambulance service, that was completely out of my hands,
0:39:36 > 0:39:39applying for that job and not getting it at the end of the day.
0:39:39 > 0:39:41This is all in my hands.
0:39:41 > 0:39:44If I don't pass, come up to the grade,
0:39:44 > 0:39:47well, I fail, so that's just not going to happen.
0:39:47 > 0:39:50Meanwhile, she has a few casual part-time jobs on the go.
0:39:52 > 0:39:57I'm now teaching medical terminology to medical receptionists.
0:39:57 > 0:39:59I'm still doing a little bit of paramedic work as well.
0:39:59 > 0:40:01I'm on the books of an events company,
0:40:01 > 0:40:04so a combination of being able to go and watch
0:40:04 > 0:40:07some really fabulous events for nothing
0:40:07 > 0:40:09but doing my paramedic work as well.
0:40:09 > 0:40:12Although no longer his own boss,
0:40:12 > 0:40:15Stuart has recently returned to the catering industry.
0:40:15 > 0:40:17Since being in this industry again,
0:40:17 > 0:40:20I've realised that I have missed the industry a great deal
0:40:20 > 0:40:23and enjoy the hustle and bustle of what it provides.
0:40:25 > 0:40:28The salary has also proved palatable.
0:40:29 > 0:40:30For doing less hours,
0:40:30 > 0:40:34you're actually far better off financially than what you are,
0:40:34 > 0:40:37so it's been a big plus from our point of view,
0:40:37 > 0:40:38with coming over here.
0:40:38 > 0:40:41Certainly, financially, we're far better,
0:40:41 > 0:40:42time wise, we're far better.
0:40:42 > 0:40:44A win-win situation.
0:40:44 > 0:40:48Another perk is being able to work with daughter Samantha.
0:40:48 > 0:40:51I'm in charge of the cafe side
0:40:51 > 0:40:54and the daily runnings of the shop,
0:40:54 > 0:40:56and he's in charge of catering.
0:40:56 > 0:40:57All the orders in for that
0:40:57 > 0:40:59and everybody knows they're working off there?
0:40:59 > 0:41:02'And it's been working really well.'
0:41:02 > 0:41:04We haven't fought yet, anyway!
0:41:04 > 0:41:08Out of everyone, the only one Gill and Stuart have any concerns about
0:41:08 > 0:41:09is Matthew.
0:41:09 > 0:41:13When we first started talking about this journey, he was 13.
0:41:13 > 0:41:16He's arrived here at 17. He's neither a child nor an adult.
0:41:16 > 0:41:20Combining a business studies course with a part-time job,
0:41:20 > 0:41:23Matthew admits settling in has been hard.
0:41:24 > 0:41:26It's a bit surreal, really.
0:41:26 > 0:41:28Work and everything like that, pay, wages,
0:41:28 > 0:41:30everything is better here,
0:41:30 > 0:41:32and I feel the lifestyle is a lot better here,
0:41:32 > 0:41:37but...I'm still not sure yet.
0:41:37 > 0:41:39I think over the next six, eight months,
0:41:39 > 0:41:40time will tell on what's right for Matt,
0:41:40 > 0:41:43but I'm sure he'll decide what's right for him
0:41:43 > 0:41:44and make the right decision.
0:41:47 > 0:41:50Assuming Gill can secure a job once qualified,
0:41:50 > 0:41:54the couple will be able to apply for permanent residency.
0:41:54 > 0:41:58So now they're finally here, do they think they've made the right move?
0:41:58 > 0:42:01It's a dream come true from our point of view.
0:42:01 > 0:42:04Everything we wanted here is here for us in abundance.
0:42:04 > 0:42:07It's just a case of us appreciating everything that it's got.
0:42:07 > 0:42:11It's a big, big place, and we've got a lot to see,
0:42:11 > 0:42:15so we've got plenty of time to do it and we'll take our time enjoying it.
0:42:17 > 0:42:20I'm still 100% sure we've done the right thing.
0:42:20 > 0:42:22It's all worth it. The financial cost of it,
0:42:22 > 0:42:25selling everything we had in the UK to be out here,
0:42:25 > 0:42:28you can't put a price on being here with your children
0:42:28 > 0:42:30and your grandchildren.
0:42:37 > 0:42:41We haven't sacrificed anything by moving here.
0:42:41 > 0:42:45We've just gained a big yellow blob in the sky every day
0:42:45 > 0:42:47that seems to make everybody smile.
0:42:59 > 0:43:03Finally reunited with their children and grandchildren
0:43:03 > 0:43:05on the other side of the world,
0:43:05 > 0:43:07Stuart and Gill are living proof
0:43:07 > 0:43:10that where there's a will, there's a way.
0:43:10 > 0:43:14We wish the whole family a very happy future down under.