0:00:02 > 0:00:04Welcome to Wanted Down Under Revisited.
0:00:04 > 0:00:11We're catching up with the Ashton family, who we met back in 2006,
0:00:11 > 0:00:14when we let them sample the lifestyle in Australia.
0:00:14 > 0:00:19'Bob was a cable installer, hoping for a better life for his family.'
0:00:19 > 0:00:25We seem to have started every year. Nothing's got better in the UK.
0:00:25 > 0:00:27'Mum Jane needed convincing.'
0:00:27 > 0:00:30It's not something I'd consider doing.
0:00:30 > 0:00:33'Their trip was far from plain sailing.'
0:00:33 > 0:00:36- CRYING:- I want my mum!
0:00:36 > 0:00:40'Did they move, or did the stress get too much?
0:00:40 > 0:00:43'Four years on, and a lot has changed.'
0:00:43 > 0:00:50When the nurse said, "It is his heart," you could have knocked me down with a feather.
0:00:50 > 0:00:55She said, "Your dad's in hospital." And the shock just came to me.
0:01:16 > 0:01:22Wanted Down Under puts British families to the ultimate test,
0:01:22 > 0:01:26by giving them the chance to try life in Australia.
0:01:26 > 0:01:28They have one week to find out
0:01:28 > 0:01:31about homes, work and lifestyle
0:01:31 > 0:01:33before voting on their future.
0:01:33 > 0:01:35But what happened next?
0:01:35 > 0:01:41We caught up with some of our original families to find out where they are now.
0:01:41 > 0:01:48In 2006, the Ashtons from Sheffield faced a life-changing decision -
0:01:48 > 0:01:52to stay in the UK or to move to Australia?
0:01:52 > 0:01:56We gave them a week to experience all aspects of life down under,
0:01:56 > 0:02:00but was it all they hoped it would be?
0:02:00 > 0:02:03'Four years ago, Bob, Jane and Billie
0:02:03 > 0:02:08'were thinking of giving up their life in Sheffield for a new start.'
0:02:08 > 0:02:12There's always been some reason for us not to go.
0:02:12 > 0:02:18When we decided to sell, it were, "Why don't we do what we've always wanted to?"
0:02:18 > 0:02:22'Bob worked as a cable installer, earning up to £30,000.
0:02:22 > 0:02:27'He knew he'd take a pay cut but wanted a better quality of life.'
0:02:27 > 0:02:29I just want more space.
0:02:29 > 0:02:35I want more freedom and more time to spend with the family to do what we enjoy.
0:02:35 > 0:02:39'Things hadn't been easy for the Ashtons.'
0:02:39 > 0:02:43I lost my father, and you could say I ran away, in a sense.
0:02:43 > 0:02:46I left to find myself again.
0:02:46 > 0:02:49And myself and Jane got divorced.
0:02:49 > 0:02:55'They got back together, but Jane was keen to leave the past behind.'
0:02:55 > 0:02:59Any mistakes we've made in the past we can erase them,
0:02:59 > 0:03:04start again from scratch and let's see if we can do a better job.
0:03:04 > 0:03:09'They needed to think about the future of ten-year-old Billie.'
0:03:09 > 0:03:15Mum and Dad told me we were going to Australia and it was a really big shock.
0:03:15 > 0:03:21She's going to miss her friends and her family, but she's adaptable.
0:03:21 > 0:03:23'All Australia meant was dolphins.'
0:03:23 > 0:03:30She said straight away, "Will I be able to swim with dolphins?" She can't do it every day.
0:03:30 > 0:03:32'But she already had reservations.'
0:03:32 > 0:03:36If we don't like it there, we have to come back again.
0:03:36 > 0:03:42It's going to be awful because we've gone there for nothing, really.
0:03:42 > 0:03:47'If Billie didn't like Australia there was no way they'd move.
0:03:47 > 0:03:49'She held the key to their future.'
0:03:49 > 0:03:55To help Bob, Jane and Billie consider the risks they'd be taking,
0:03:55 > 0:03:59we sent them to Adelaide in South Australia.
0:03:59 > 0:04:03There were three lifestyles to choose from - one in the city,
0:04:03 > 0:04:07one in the country and one on the coast.
0:04:07 > 0:04:11Each option included potential work for Bob.
0:04:11 > 0:04:13'The first option was the country.
0:04:13 > 0:04:19'South Australia is the driest state on the driest inhabited continent,
0:04:19 > 0:04:24'but you wouldn't know it from the greenery of the Adelaide hills.
0:04:24 > 0:04:28'You could find fantastic homes at a low price.
0:04:28 > 0:04:33'Isolated wooden cabins would have cost less than the £200,000 budget,
0:04:33 > 0:04:37'and they had a luxury finish to go with the price.
0:04:37 > 0:04:42'The family would have benefited from the massive outdoor space
0:04:42 > 0:04:44'and enjoyed beautiful views.
0:04:44 > 0:04:47'Billie would have loved the wildlife.
0:04:47 > 0:04:53'Back in 2006, cable installers earned a lot less in rural areas.
0:04:53 > 0:04:58'Bob could have expected a salary of around £16,000,
0:04:58 > 0:05:02'almost half of what he earned in the UK.
0:05:02 > 0:05:04'Option two was on the coast.
0:05:04 > 0:05:07'Adelaide's temperate climate
0:05:07 > 0:05:10'makes it the perfect place to chill out,
0:05:10 > 0:05:16'but beach front property is always expensive and can cost millions.
0:05:16 > 0:05:21'It would have suited the Ashtons to go a short drive inland,
0:05:21 > 0:05:26'where they could have picked up a three-bedroom bungalow for £200,000.
0:05:26 > 0:05:29'There was lots of cable installation work,
0:05:29 > 0:05:34'but he would have earned a third less than his 30-grand UK salary.
0:05:34 > 0:05:36'Option three was the city.
0:05:36 > 0:05:41'Adelaide is a fast-growing metropolis on the south coast,
0:05:41 > 0:05:46'recently voted one of the best places to live in the world.
0:05:46 > 0:05:51'Living in the centre may have been a bit cramped but, four years ago,
0:05:51 > 0:05:56'you'd find expansive three-bedroom suburban homes with pools
0:05:56 > 0:05:58'for around £170,000.
0:05:58 > 0:06:04'An income of £20,000 would have given them a good standard of living
0:06:04 > 0:06:09'and Dave from a local security company had a job on offer for Bob.'
0:06:09 > 0:06:13I know your expertise is in data, cabling and such.
0:06:13 > 0:06:19However, I'm sure we could get you covert work and investigations.
0:06:19 > 0:06:22'Billie would have loved living here
0:06:22 > 0:06:26'as it's host to the only city-dwelling dolphins in the world.
0:06:26 > 0:06:32'So there were three very different options, each of them life-changing.
0:06:32 > 0:06:35'Which one did the Ashtons sample?'
0:06:35 > 0:06:40The Ashtons tried the city lifestyle with a week in Adelaide.
0:06:40 > 0:06:44There were dolphins for Billie and an interesting job for Bob.
0:06:47 > 0:06:50'It was a long trip for Billie.
0:06:50 > 0:06:55'Like her parents, she'd never been this far away from home before.
0:06:55 > 0:07:01'The Ashtons' 10,000-mile journey from London took 22 hours.
0:07:10 > 0:07:15'When they finally touched down, the whole family was jet-lagged.
0:07:15 > 0:07:19'They were keen to check out their base for the week.'
0:07:19 > 0:07:23- Very nice, isn't it?- Very nice!
0:07:23 > 0:07:27'They stayed in a three-bedroom house in a suburb.
0:07:27 > 0:07:34'It had an open-plan kitchen living area, popular in Australian homes.'
0:07:34 > 0:07:36Wow!
0:07:36 > 0:07:37Ooh, I say!
0:07:39 > 0:07:42- Nice and comfy.- Are they?- Yeah.
0:07:42 > 0:07:45Don't make that your bed.
0:07:46 > 0:07:49Oh, it's lovely and spacious.
0:07:49 > 0:07:53'It was really different from properties they were used to.'
0:07:53 > 0:07:56It would be nice if they all had walk-in wardrobes.
0:07:56 > 0:08:00'The owners had left a present for Billie.'
0:08:00 > 0:08:02Little dolphin!
0:08:02 > 0:08:07The thing that I'm looking forward to most is the dolphins.
0:08:07 > 0:08:11I've heard there's lots of zoos and wildlife things.
0:08:11 > 0:08:15My dream would be to swim with dolphins.
0:08:15 > 0:08:20You know what that means. We've got to go and see some dolphins.
0:08:20 > 0:08:23"Come and see my mum and dad!"
0:08:23 > 0:08:27'Billie knew only too well what she'd be leaving behind.'
0:08:27 > 0:08:32If we do emigrate, I'm going to be leaving my friends and my family
0:08:32 > 0:08:36and just the lifestyle, really.
0:08:36 > 0:08:40Leaving all my friends behind is a really big scare.
0:08:40 > 0:08:43It'll just be a big shock.
0:08:43 > 0:08:48'They had just arrived and there were already doubts creeping in.
0:08:48 > 0:08:52'Little did they know how traumatic the trip would become.'
0:08:56 > 0:09:02'Australia's a huge country, over 31 times the size of the UK.
0:09:02 > 0:09:04'So, when it comes to buying a home,
0:09:04 > 0:09:07'you'll get a lot more land for your money.
0:09:07 > 0:09:11'Many homes have a modern open feel,
0:09:11 > 0:09:16'often reflecting Australia's multicultural population.
0:09:16 > 0:09:20'Aussies spend most of their time in the garden
0:09:20 > 0:09:24'and, unsurprisingly, outdoor living is big business.
0:09:24 > 0:09:30'Decking is a typical feature, as well as a barbecue and a pool.
0:09:30 > 0:09:35'But remember, they can be expensive to install and maintain.
0:09:38 > 0:09:43'Back in 2006, the Ashtons lived in a two-up two-down in Sheffield.
0:09:43 > 0:09:47'There wasn't much room and they were desperate for more space.
0:09:47 > 0:09:51'Selling up would have given them £200,000 to spend.
0:09:53 > 0:09:56'On their trial week in Australia,
0:09:56 > 0:10:01'they were hoping to find a bigger home with a pool for Billie.'
0:10:01 > 0:10:03Look at these houses!
0:10:03 > 0:10:06- It's very Mediterranean.- It is.
0:10:06 > 0:10:10These are definitely out of our price range.
0:10:10 > 0:10:16'Back in 2006, the first property was bang on budget.
0:10:16 > 0:10:23'It boasted a large open-plan living area and had four bedrooms.
0:10:23 > 0:10:26'Did it live up to expectations?'
0:10:26 > 0:10:31Very nice. Plenty of room to get a table and chairs, isn't there?
0:10:31 > 0:10:37The house that we're in is just a dining-kitchen all in one room.
0:10:37 > 0:10:41'They were clearly impressed with the room in Australian houses.'
0:10:41 > 0:10:44This is lovely. There's so much space.
0:10:44 > 0:10:50To have a formal dining area, if you were entertaining formally,
0:10:50 > 0:10:55or just somewhere to sit and have breakfast and your meals generally.
0:10:55 > 0:10:57It's amazing!
0:10:57 > 0:11:01'The bedrooms were considerably larger than they were used to.'
0:11:01 > 0:11:04- Look at them windows!- Just so light!
0:11:04 > 0:11:07- This is your bedroom. - ALL LAUGH
0:11:07 > 0:11:09This is lovely.
0:11:09 > 0:11:14'But they would have spent most of their time in the backyard.'
0:11:14 > 0:11:19Thank you. Ah, look at the trees as well!
0:11:19 > 0:11:25You could do just about anything out here, bring the inside out.
0:11:25 > 0:11:29The covering does not allow the UV rays to come through.
0:11:29 > 0:11:34Being Australia, we do get burnt very quickly here.
0:11:34 > 0:11:36It's a perfect set-up.
0:11:36 > 0:11:39'Space-wise, it was exactly what they wanted.'
0:11:39 > 0:11:45- How much would this be on the market for?- We're looking for between 480 and 500,000.
0:11:45 > 0:11:49- That is negotiable. - Between 480 and 500,000?- Yes.
0:11:49 > 0:11:53Oh, my goodness me! I can't believe that!
0:11:53 > 0:11:57That's unbelievable. That's a million-dollar house.
0:11:57 > 0:12:00That's unreal.
0:12:00 > 0:12:06A house like this back in the UK would be around 350, £400,000.
0:12:06 > 0:12:08- This is just unbelievable.- Good.
0:12:08 > 0:12:14'They were blown away by this and by the fact that they could afford it.
0:12:14 > 0:12:18'For Billie, a true Australian house had to have a pool.
0:12:18 > 0:12:20'On to property number two.
0:12:21 > 0:12:27'It was on the market for £250,000, so slightly over budget,
0:12:27 > 0:12:33'but it did have a massive pool to keep Billie entertained.'
0:12:33 > 0:12:39- Oh, my goodness!- Wowee!- Look at this! This is a fabulous lounge!
0:12:39 > 0:12:44This would definitely be room for everything that we've got.
0:12:44 > 0:12:48We should have to buy a bigger TV!
0:12:48 > 0:12:52'It had more rooms than they knew what to do with.'
0:12:52 > 0:12:56Oh, what a beautiful space!
0:12:56 > 0:13:01- It's an extra room.- A little reading room or homework room.
0:13:01 > 0:13:05- The ceilings are a lovely height. - Yeah, they're not low.
0:13:05 > 0:13:10But they're not extremely high like we've got, that go on for ever.
0:13:10 > 0:13:13Oh, gosh! A big bathroom. This is fabulous.
0:13:13 > 0:13:16This is like a palace.
0:13:16 > 0:13:21This could make a nice bedroom for a little girl. I love these windows.
0:13:21 > 0:13:24Neighbours, but they're not...there!
0:13:24 > 0:13:29- Not joined on like they are at home. - Not attached.
0:13:29 > 0:13:32A nice little guest room.
0:13:32 > 0:13:35This is a bit bigger than the other one, Billie.
0:13:35 > 0:13:39'It was no comparison to their house in Sheffield.'
0:13:39 > 0:13:41This is nice. GASPS
0:13:41 > 0:13:44- Now, Billie!- What?
0:13:44 > 0:13:48Whilst washing the pots, is that not a better view
0:13:48 > 0:13:52than looking into somebody else's kitchen?
0:13:52 > 0:13:57- The view we've got at home is a scraggy old garden, Mum.- It is.
0:13:57 > 0:14:02'It was the feature outside that won them over.'
0:14:02 > 0:14:06- Look at that! - What do you think of that, then?
0:14:06 > 0:14:08BILLIE SCREAMS
0:14:08 > 0:14:12- JANE AND BOB LAUGH - Oh, wow!
0:14:12 > 0:14:14This is unbelievable.
0:14:14 > 0:14:18I can't imagine how much it would cost back in the UK.
0:14:18 > 0:14:21I can't even put a figure on it.
0:14:21 > 0:14:24'So, it was thumbs up for property number two.
0:14:24 > 0:14:29'But did they do any better with a home closer to the city?
0:14:29 > 0:14:33'Property three was ten minutes away from central Adelaide.'
0:14:33 > 0:14:36Hi, guys. How are you?
0:14:36 > 0:14:38Hiya, Billie. How are you?
0:14:38 > 0:14:43'Peter showed them around. It had four bedrooms and a pool.
0:14:43 > 0:14:47'It was on the market for around £245,000,
0:14:47 > 0:14:49'so it was over budget.
0:14:49 > 0:14:53'But four years ago, it offered great value for money.'
0:14:53 > 0:14:57- Wow!- Ooh, look! This is nice.
0:14:57 > 0:15:02- It's a Victorian house, isn't it? - Gosh, that's lovely.
0:15:02 > 0:15:04'Good first impressions. Was it big enough?'
0:15:04 > 0:15:08PETER: This is what they're using as the master.
0:15:08 > 0:15:11JANE LAUGHS Is that big enough for you?
0:15:11 > 0:15:15- Oh, my word!- Do you like that, love?
0:15:15 > 0:15:17This is... Oh!
0:15:17 > 0:15:20PETER: It's got some space. JANE: Definitely.
0:15:20 > 0:15:25It's nearly as big as our house! Is that right? >
0:15:25 > 0:15:28Bigger than our complete downstairs!
0:15:28 > 0:15:30It's nice to have space.
0:15:30 > 0:15:33'Next came Billie's turn.'
0:15:33 > 0:15:35- Oh!- Another bedroom.
0:15:35 > 0:15:39Yeah, it could be another guest room.
0:15:39 > 0:15:41PETER: It's a fourth bedroom.
0:15:41 > 0:15:45- It about as big as the attic. - It probably is.
0:15:45 > 0:15:49'The living space was pretty impressive, too.
0:15:49 > 0:15:54'It had areas for every occasion, and Jane loved the kitchen.'
0:15:54 > 0:15:56JANE GASPS
0:15:56 > 0:16:00Back home, we've got a basic cooker,
0:16:00 > 0:16:04a fridge, a sink and obviously units on the walls
0:16:04 > 0:16:06but nothing like this.
0:16:06 > 0:16:10'They didn't notice what was through the window.'
0:16:10 > 0:16:11Wow!
0:16:11 > 0:16:14PETER: Look at that out there!
0:16:14 > 0:16:19- Oh, my goodness me!- Wow! That's amazing!
0:16:19 > 0:16:22PETER: A nice backyard.
0:16:22 > 0:16:24How beautiful is that?
0:16:24 > 0:16:29This is exactly the picture I had in my mind of what a garden would be.
0:16:29 > 0:16:31It's absolutely breathtaking.
0:16:31 > 0:16:33It really is.
0:16:33 > 0:16:36All the greenery and the bushes.
0:16:36 > 0:16:40Then the pool! It's wonderful!
0:16:40 > 0:16:44Oh, look at this barbecue area! The size of that table!
0:16:44 > 0:16:48You imagine an outdoor dining space but not this big.
0:16:48 > 0:16:51This is as good as it gets.
0:16:51 > 0:16:56The problem is finding enough friends to invite round. You'd soon get friends here!
0:16:56 > 0:16:58Speak for yourself!
0:16:58 > 0:17:04Owning something like this in the UK would be beyond your wildest dreams.
0:17:04 > 0:17:08It's not something that you would, unless you won the Lottery,
0:17:08 > 0:17:11ever imagine to be able to afford.
0:17:11 > 0:17:17To think this is within your reach really is unbelievable.
0:17:17 > 0:17:21'They were amazed by every house, especially homes with massive pools.
0:17:21 > 0:17:25'It was time to vote for property.
0:17:25 > 0:17:27'Was it the UK or Australia?'
0:17:27 > 0:17:32So, which properties do we prefer? Properties in Australia or the UK?
0:17:33 > 0:17:36ALL: Australia!
0:17:39 > 0:17:43'Back in the UK, the Ashtons loved going down the pub.
0:17:43 > 0:17:47'In 2006, we took them to a typical Aussie local.'
0:17:47 > 0:17:52- Am I OK to fetch kids in today? - Yeah, that's fine.
0:17:52 > 0:17:55- Is it always this quiet on Sunday? - Yeah.
0:17:55 > 0:17:59- Kids are allowed in till midnight? - Yeah.
0:17:59 > 0:18:01'Was the beer to Bob's taste?'
0:18:01 > 0:18:04It's in a glass. It looks nice.
0:18:05 > 0:18:08It's not like the bitter at home.
0:18:08 > 0:18:10I'll have a white wine, please.
0:18:11 > 0:18:16'They went on a search for something more familiar to Bob's palate.'
0:18:16 > 0:18:18How are we doing?
0:18:18 > 0:18:22What happened to the Fosters and Castlemaine XXXX?
0:18:22 > 0:18:26They never existed? LAUGHING: Not in here!
0:18:26 > 0:18:28You ship it over to the poms?
0:18:28 > 0:18:31We ship it overseas cos it's no good!
0:18:34 > 0:18:39'Time to vote. Was the lifestyle better in Australia or the UK?'
0:18:39 > 0:18:45- We've done half a dozen pubs now. - Australian pubs or British pubs?
0:18:45 > 0:18:47I-i-it's...
0:18:47 > 0:18:49Pretty obvious, really.
0:18:49 > 0:18:54'Billie was desperate to talk about what was really on her mind.'
0:18:54 > 0:19:00I found out that my mum and dad were divorced six months ago.
0:19:00 > 0:19:03I was very, very upset and burst into tears.
0:19:03 > 0:19:08My mum said, "I don't think we'll get married again."
0:19:08 > 0:19:10That got me even more upset.
0:19:10 > 0:19:14The reason we had to tell Billie was because...
0:19:14 > 0:19:18Do we make a decision to come to live in Australia?
0:19:18 > 0:19:23Our relationship had to be out in the open. She may hear us talking.
0:19:23 > 0:19:27If anybody asks our marital situation, we are actually divorced.
0:19:27 > 0:19:33We had to make Billie aware in case she heard it and got confused.
0:19:33 > 0:19:36Even though she vaguely remembers us being apart,
0:19:36 > 0:19:40we never told her that we got divorced.
0:19:40 > 0:19:43So we told her. It wasn't very long ago.
0:19:43 > 0:19:48When they're not married, it doesn't feel like a real family.
0:19:48 > 0:19:53- Yeah, but you... - It LOOKS like a real family.
0:19:53 > 0:19:58I was just really upset. I'd really like them to get married again.
0:19:58 > 0:20:01I want to know Mum and Dad are really together.
0:20:01 > 0:20:06Now that we're back together and we're happier than we've ever been,
0:20:06 > 0:20:11I don't see any reason why getting married would change that.
0:20:11 > 0:20:16If it went wrong first time, who's to say it won't go wrong again?
0:20:16 > 0:20:19If it's not broke, don't fix it.
0:20:19 > 0:20:23'The trial week brought up unresolved heartache for Billie.
0:20:23 > 0:20:28'Mum and Dad believed the move would have been the perfect way
0:20:28 > 0:20:31'for the whole family to make a fresh start.
0:20:31 > 0:20:37'It was all about Billie and they were desperate to win her over.
0:20:37 > 0:20:42'So in 2006, the Ashtons took her to swim with her favourite animals,
0:20:42 > 0:20:44'dolphins.'
0:20:44 > 0:20:50Billie's always wanted to do this. It's like a dream come true.
0:20:50 > 0:20:53I'm very, very excited about the dolphins.
0:20:56 > 0:20:58She lives and dreams dolphins.
0:20:58 > 0:21:05Ever since she sponsored a dolphin she's wanted to swim with them in the sea.
0:21:05 > 0:21:09'A pod of dolphins was spotted near the boat
0:21:09 > 0:21:12'and everyone got in the water.
0:21:12 > 0:21:16'But Billie wasn't a strong swimmer
0:21:16 > 0:21:20'and the reality of open sea wasn't what she expected.'
0:21:20 > 0:21:24Help! Please! I don't like it!
0:21:26 > 0:21:31'It all got too much for her, without glimpsing a dolphin.
0:21:31 > 0:21:35'Her dreams were in tatters.
0:21:38 > 0:21:42'A new life in Australia was the last thing on Billie's mind.'
0:21:44 > 0:21:46- CRYING:- I want my mum.
0:21:50 > 0:21:53I got right far out on the rope.
0:21:53 > 0:21:58And I breathed through my nose and it got stuck to my face.
0:21:58 > 0:22:02I didn't like it so I took my mouth thing out
0:22:02 > 0:22:05and then I swallowed a whole lot of sea water.
0:22:05 > 0:22:07Oh, no!
0:22:09 > 0:22:12'But did she find the courage to try again?'
0:22:12 > 0:22:14No.
0:22:15 > 0:22:19Oh, don't. You've been so looking forward to this.
0:22:19 > 0:22:24Haven't you? You might not get this opportunity ever again.
0:22:24 > 0:22:30- I can't, Mum.- You can.- I can't! - What have I always told you?
0:22:30 > 0:22:33You can do anything if you try.
0:22:33 > 0:22:37I... What did I just do? I just tried.
0:22:39 > 0:22:42Where's your dad? He's still there?
0:22:42 > 0:22:46'Despite Billie's panic, Bob was having a great time.
0:22:46 > 0:22:51'He was living Billie's dream, swimming with dolphins.
0:22:54 > 0:22:56'Bob was blissfully unaware
0:22:56 > 0:23:00'that a black cloud hung over his daughter's view of Australia.
0:23:05 > 0:23:11'Back in 2006, the Ashton family had a turbulent week
0:23:11 > 0:23:13'trying life in Australia.
0:23:13 > 0:23:16'Jane was amazed by the lavish properties.'
0:23:16 > 0:23:21- Oh, wow!- I can't imagine how much this would cost at home.
0:23:21 > 0:23:27'But the enormity of being so far away from loved ones hit her hard.'
0:23:27 > 0:23:31I've always needed to be at home and have my family round me.
0:23:31 > 0:23:36If somebody had told me I was contemplating living in Australia,
0:23:36 > 0:23:41I would have laughed. There was no way I'd have considered it.
0:23:41 > 0:23:46- You wouldn't have got on a plane for that long!- Definitely not!
0:23:46 > 0:23:51It's...very strange that we're even considering it now.
0:23:51 > 0:23:53'Daughter Billie had most doubts.'
0:23:53 > 0:23:56I'm probably a bit worried about friends.
0:23:56 > 0:24:02At school, I'm not that good at making friends. Out of school, I am.
0:24:02 > 0:24:06If we move, Billie's always going to be our main concern.
0:24:06 > 0:24:11We're always going to wonder if we're doing the right thing,
0:24:11 > 0:24:14taking her away from her friends, her family.
0:24:14 > 0:24:17It'll be us three for a while.
0:24:17 > 0:24:23So it's really, really important that we weigh up all the options.
0:24:23 > 0:24:26The end result is that she has a better lifestyle.
0:24:26 > 0:24:32If Billie said she really didn't want to go it would be heartbreaking
0:24:32 > 0:24:37and I'd probably have to stay in the UK.
0:24:37 > 0:24:41'Their trial week had been especially hard for Billie.
0:24:41 > 0:24:44'She held the key to the future.'
0:24:44 > 0:24:48When they're not married it doesn't feel like a real family.
0:24:48 > 0:24:51I'd really like them to get married again.
0:24:51 > 0:24:56'For her, the trip had only meant one thing - dolphins.
0:24:56 > 0:24:58'When her fantasy ended in tears,
0:24:58 > 0:25:03'was her dream to live in Australia lost at sea, too?
0:25:03 > 0:25:09'In 2006, the Ashtons chose whether to start a new life in Australia,
0:25:09 > 0:25:11'or stay in the UK.
0:25:11 > 0:25:14'Which way did they vote?'
0:25:15 > 0:25:16Australia.
0:25:17 > 0:25:19Australia.
0:25:19 > 0:25:23'Mum and Dad wanted a new life down under.
0:25:23 > 0:25:27'Everything rested on Billie's vote. What was it to be?'
0:25:27 > 0:25:30The UK!
0:25:30 > 0:25:34We've got a bit of convincing to do.
0:25:34 > 0:25:38'Without Billie on side, the Ashtons weren't going anywhere.'
0:25:38 > 0:25:43Maybe if Billie changes her mind, Mum and Dad will get married again.
0:25:43 > 0:25:48'Ah. The family was split about a move down under,
0:25:48 > 0:25:52'but it seemed they may be able to persuade Billie.
0:25:54 > 0:25:58'Four years on, where are the Ashton family now?
0:25:58 > 0:26:00'Australia!
0:26:00 > 0:26:04'They've been living in Adelaide since 2006,
0:26:04 > 0:26:10'only a stone's throw away from beautiful beaches and vineyards.'
0:26:15 > 0:26:20- Hello. Welcome to our house. Have look around.- Please come in.
0:26:20 > 0:26:23'The Ashtons are renting at the moment,
0:26:23 > 0:26:27'but with two living areas and plenty of space,
0:26:27 > 0:26:32'this property is a far cry from the two-up two-down in Sheffield.'
0:26:32 > 0:26:36This is my favourite room, my laundry room!
0:26:36 > 0:26:41I love this feature. You've got a separate laundry room.
0:26:41 > 0:26:44Washing machine, tumble drier, iron.
0:26:44 > 0:26:48You set it up, close the door and nobody sees it.
0:26:48 > 0:26:50Straight outside with the washing.
0:26:50 > 0:26:56'One of the main reasons they made the move was an outdoor lifestyle.
0:26:56 > 0:27:01'And what better place to enjoy it than in the backyard?'
0:27:01 > 0:27:04Beautiful. We're outside so much.
0:27:04 > 0:27:08Come home from work, kick off your shoes, grab a beer.
0:27:08 > 0:27:10- Yeah.- Come outside.
0:27:10 > 0:27:13Enjoy the gorgeous weather.
0:27:13 > 0:27:18There's no pool because I've got a build-yourself pool.
0:27:18 > 0:27:23An above ground pool that we take down in winter and put up in summer.
0:27:23 > 0:27:26It's like a little vacation place.
0:27:26 > 0:27:29- It's our little oasis. - In the middle of Aus!
0:27:29 > 0:27:31A washing line in the middle!
0:27:31 > 0:27:34- Yeah.- Beautiful!
0:27:34 > 0:27:38'Australian house prices have rocketed since the Ashtons moved.
0:27:38 > 0:27:42'Bob and Jane have struggled to find a property.
0:27:42 > 0:27:46'In the meantime, the rental costs them £185 a week.'
0:27:47 > 0:27:49This is the spare bedroom.
0:27:49 > 0:27:53Good size. We can get a double bed in here.
0:27:53 > 0:27:58Considering all the visitors we've had, it's been quite essential.
0:27:58 > 0:28:02- Anybody's welcome to come. - Then they have to leave again.
0:28:02 > 0:28:06- And the leaving's really hard. - That's the hard part.
0:28:06 > 0:28:11Like leaving all over again, especially when my mum came. Awful.
0:28:11 > 0:28:13- Never going to be easy.- No. Never.
0:28:13 > 0:28:16'On their trial week down under,
0:28:16 > 0:28:19'Billie was dead set against the move.
0:28:19 > 0:28:23'Mum and Dad were desperate to persuade her.'
0:28:23 > 0:28:27My parents told me that if we came they'd probably get married.
0:28:27 > 0:28:32We have discussions but I don't think she wants to go there again.
0:28:32 > 0:28:36She always uses the same expression. "Don't fix what's not broken."
0:28:36 > 0:28:41I'm really disappointed in them. It makes me feel a bit like...
0:28:41 > 0:28:44they made me come, forcing me.
0:28:44 > 0:28:49The only way we could describe Australia was it's like paradise.
0:28:49 > 0:28:54As a child, her ambitions would be swimming with dolphins.
0:28:54 > 0:28:57She could do that after school.
0:28:57 > 0:29:00Little white lies came out, I must admit.
0:29:00 > 0:29:02On arrival, she hated it.
0:29:02 > 0:29:06When I voted the UK before,
0:29:06 > 0:29:10I'd been for a holiday and I didn't really like it.
0:29:10 > 0:29:16Leaving my friends and family behind, they're the other side of the world.
0:29:16 > 0:29:21Initially, she hated us for bringing her all the way over here.
0:29:21 > 0:29:26The move was hard, saying goodbye at the airport. A lot of crying.
0:29:26 > 0:29:33A lot of worry if anything good's going to come out of it or anything bad.
0:29:33 > 0:29:36Yeah, a very emotional time for Billie.
0:29:36 > 0:29:39She started at primary school.
0:29:39 > 0:29:42but was a bit nervous and cautious.
0:29:42 > 0:29:45I was really scared and then Mum had to go.
0:29:45 > 0:29:48And I was like, "Don't make me do this."
0:29:48 > 0:29:54She struggled a bit at first but now she's got some really good friends.
0:29:54 > 0:29:56She's just a typical teenager.
0:29:56 > 0:30:01She gets angry with everything and then she's absolutely fine.
0:30:01 > 0:30:05I've enjoyed starting a new school, making new friends.
0:30:05 > 0:30:09Now I know that it can be done and it's easier than it seems.
0:30:09 > 0:30:14Within six weeks, she'd got new friends, she'd got a new life.
0:30:14 > 0:30:17I definitely prefer it here.
0:30:19 > 0:30:21# Here comes the sun
0:30:21 > 0:30:24# And I say, "It's all right" #
0:30:24 > 0:30:28'It may have been Billie who had doubts
0:30:28 > 0:30:34'but, in the end, it wasn't as hard as she thought to make new friends.
0:30:36 > 0:30:41'Ironically, it was Mum and Dad who struggled to settle in.'
0:30:41 > 0:30:45The hardest thing is you just don't know what to expect.
0:30:45 > 0:30:48You think you know but you don't.
0:30:48 > 0:30:50You're very much playing blind.
0:30:50 > 0:30:52Yeah.
0:30:52 > 0:31:00You don't realise how important a lot of stuff that you take for granted is until you haven't got it.
0:31:00 > 0:31:06The person I miss most is my mum. I used to see her every single day.
0:31:06 > 0:31:11And if I didn't, I'd speak to her every day. I really miss my mum.
0:31:11 > 0:31:15Missing the UK, missing the family, missing friends,
0:31:15 > 0:31:18missing social activities.
0:31:19 > 0:31:23Missing celebrations with friends and family, obviously.
0:31:23 > 0:31:27Missing the sport. Missing my mates with golf.
0:31:27 > 0:31:31Missing my football team back in the UK.
0:31:31 > 0:31:36We're pretty sociable people, quite easy to get along with, so we think.
0:31:36 > 0:31:41We thought it'd be easy to make friends but it's not that easy.
0:31:41 > 0:31:44We don't know where to go, for starters.
0:31:44 > 0:31:49You don't get little clubs that say, "Welcome to Australia"
0:31:49 > 0:31:51and meet and greet people.
0:31:53 > 0:31:58I used to take Billie to school then come back and sit alone all day.
0:31:58 > 0:32:01That was quite difficult.
0:32:01 > 0:32:08Starting again at the age of 40, it's hard to find people who've got your same interests.
0:32:08 > 0:32:12It's still a nice place to live. Very nice.
0:32:12 > 0:32:17'It's been tough for the whole family but they've stuck together
0:32:17 > 0:32:21'and are trying to make their new life in Australia work.'
0:32:25 > 0:32:29One of the reasons people move to Adelaide is for cheap housing.
0:32:29 > 0:32:34But once you've found your dream home, how easy is it to buy?
0:32:34 > 0:32:40We found some of the hidden costs of getting on the Aussie property ladder.
0:32:42 > 0:32:48'The Ashtons are renting, but when they do buy, they may go to a property auction.
0:32:48 > 0:32:51'They're more common in Australia
0:32:51 > 0:32:55'and they take place at the property being sold.
0:32:55 > 0:32:58'You must pay a 10% deposit on the day
0:32:58 > 0:33:01'and sign an auction contract...'
0:33:01 > 0:33:02Second time!
0:33:02 > 0:33:06'..which means there's no going back.'
0:33:06 > 0:33:08Sold to you. Congratulations.
0:33:08 > 0:33:10Give him a hand.
0:33:10 > 0:33:13'If you're expecting a bargain, be wary.
0:33:13 > 0:33:18'This family sold their house for 50% more than the guide price.'
0:33:18 > 0:33:21We've tracked houses sold at a price
0:33:21 > 0:33:25and, had we, I suspect we would have not maximised the potential.
0:33:25 > 0:33:30Today's a great example as to why the auction system works.
0:33:30 > 0:33:35'Remember, it's easy to get carried away in the bidding,
0:33:35 > 0:33:37'so stick to your budget.
0:33:37 > 0:33:41'85% of Aussies live within nine miles of the coast.
0:33:41 > 0:33:44'Don't be surprised if your beachside home
0:33:44 > 0:33:47'costs more than you anticipated.
0:33:51 > 0:33:56'The Ashtons are living in one of the cheapest parts of Australia.
0:33:56 > 0:34:00'Homes in Adelaide cost 25% less than those in Sydney.
0:34:00 > 0:34:04'To afford their dream place, Bob had to find good work.
0:34:08 > 0:34:10'On their trial week down under,
0:34:10 > 0:34:14'Jane was preoccupied with Bob's job prospects.'
0:34:14 > 0:34:18One of my main concerns will be Robert's job.
0:34:18 > 0:34:21It's him working, if we were to come out,
0:34:21 > 0:34:24that would determine whether or not we could stay.
0:34:24 > 0:34:31'Work was the deal breaker so, four years ago, we gave Bob some work experience at a security firm.'
0:34:31 > 0:34:34This is the area I need you to look at.
0:34:34 > 0:34:38'In the UK, Bob was a cable installer
0:34:38 > 0:34:42'but it was likely he'd have to branch out into security.'
0:34:42 > 0:34:47- Dave, is security a big business in South Australia?- Very large now.
0:34:47 > 0:34:54There's not many places you can go without it being alarmed or being watched on CCTV.
0:34:54 > 0:34:58Covert operations, that kind of thing.
0:34:58 > 0:35:01Alarms will always be pretty big.
0:35:01 > 0:35:05- So there's much work for myself? - Plenty of work. Plenty.
0:35:05 > 0:35:10'If Bob was interested, he'd have to do more than install cables,
0:35:10 > 0:35:13'including covert operations.'
0:35:13 > 0:35:18- What exactly is covert work? - Covert's actually watching people.
0:35:18 > 0:35:22- Without their knowing.- Really? - Which is pretty exciting.
0:35:22 > 0:35:27- It's not always on the bad man, the cheating husband.- OK, yeah.
0:35:27 > 0:35:31- Have you ever done anything like that?- Never.
0:35:31 > 0:35:35I'd be interested. It's very interesting.
0:35:35 > 0:35:38'Jane and Billie explored an Aussie wildlife park.'
0:35:42 > 0:35:47This is Buttons. I want you to stand nice and straight like a tree.
0:35:47 > 0:35:49Buttons will climb on.
0:35:49 > 0:35:54'Being close to wildlife was one reason they wanted to emigrate.'
0:35:57 > 0:36:00This beats anything we do in the UK.
0:36:00 > 0:36:05'But despite the excitement, Jane's mind was on Bob.'
0:36:05 > 0:36:08We're having a different day to Dad.
0:36:08 > 0:36:12Dad will be jealous when we tell him when he's finished work.
0:36:12 > 0:36:16'While Billie got up close and personal with the wildlife,
0:36:16 > 0:36:22'Jane had thinking time to consider the decision they had to make.'
0:36:22 > 0:36:24It's important that Robert does well
0:36:24 > 0:36:27and finds a job he likes doing.
0:36:27 > 0:36:32We all know how horrible it is to get up and not want to go to work.
0:36:32 > 0:36:36Our visa determines that Robert must work full time.
0:36:36 > 0:36:39He has to find something to do.
0:36:39 > 0:36:41'Bob's day had a lot riding on it.
0:36:41 > 0:36:45'It could have meant financial stability,
0:36:45 > 0:36:50'but working for a security firm was more than installing cables.
0:36:50 > 0:36:56'Bob was about to discover if he was cut out for covert operations.'
0:36:56 > 0:37:00- You can hear the voices.- Yeah. - Come down here.
0:37:01 > 0:37:07'Bob had never come across this type of work and he was apprehensive.'
0:37:07 > 0:37:10- See them here?- Yeah. - Get some pictures of that.
0:37:15 > 0:37:17'Water is a precious resource.
0:37:17 > 0:37:23'It's illegal for anyone to swim in an area supplying drinking water.'
0:37:23 > 0:37:27You've got one, two, three, four adults there.
0:37:29 > 0:37:35This is something I never dreamed of doing in my life. It's unbelievable.
0:37:35 > 0:37:37I could live with this.
0:37:37 > 0:37:42'This element of security work is nerve-racking and unpredictable.
0:37:42 > 0:37:44'Bob was out of his depth.
0:37:44 > 0:37:47'If the people see you, you could be in trouble.'
0:37:47 > 0:37:50A guy there with multiple tattoos.
0:37:50 > 0:37:54What we're looking for is distinguishing figures.
0:37:54 > 0:37:57Anything that you could take a picture of
0:37:57 > 0:38:02and identify with it if you had to do a police line-up.
0:38:02 > 0:38:05This is what covert's all about.
0:38:05 > 0:38:08What a way to make a living!
0:38:08 > 0:38:13'Back in 2006, Bob had to weigh up his work prospects in Australia.'
0:38:15 > 0:38:19Lazing about with kangaroos while I'm hard at work!
0:38:19 > 0:38:24- Have you enjoyed it?- It's been very different.- Really?- Yeah.
0:38:24 > 0:38:26Going on today's experience,
0:38:26 > 0:38:30what I've gone through today, it's really exciting.
0:38:30 > 0:38:36But, if I'm truthful and honest, the work that I do back in the UK,
0:38:36 > 0:38:38I'm more comfortable with
0:38:38 > 0:38:42and I feel happy doing.
0:38:42 > 0:38:45As a vote for the job, I go for...
0:38:45 > 0:38:47the UK.
0:38:47 > 0:38:51'A vote for the UK was a massive shock to Jane.'
0:38:51 > 0:38:53Sorry, dear.
0:38:56 > 0:39:00'Four years on, Bob has settled into his job down under.
0:39:00 > 0:39:05'Unsurprisingly, he didn't opt for the private investigator career.
0:39:05 > 0:39:08'He's gone back to his roots as a cable installer.
0:39:08 > 0:39:13'Bob is in his comfort zone fitting telephone lines in new developments
0:39:13 > 0:39:16'and office blocks like this.'
0:39:16 > 0:39:19I'd never dreamed of being an investigator.
0:39:19 > 0:39:22As a kid I might have wanted to be James Bond!
0:39:22 > 0:39:27We ended up somewhere on the river, spying on people.
0:39:27 > 0:39:30I've never done this in my life before!
0:39:30 > 0:39:35I got quite a bit of stick back in the UK for being a peeping Tom.
0:39:35 > 0:39:39All a bit crazy and I didn't know where I was going.
0:39:39 > 0:39:43But in realistic terms I was confident enough to know
0:39:43 > 0:39:47that the work I was seeking would be out there
0:39:47 > 0:39:51and I'd find it, not a problem, and luckily, I did.
0:39:51 > 0:39:54'Bob earns a salary of around £40,000,
0:39:54 > 0:39:58'more than the £30,000 he took home back in the UK.'
0:39:58 > 0:40:02We get on site early in the morning, between 6 and 6.30.
0:40:02 > 0:40:06It's harder work getting out of bed at 5am.
0:40:06 > 0:40:12But you reap the rewards in the afternoon when the beach is there. Great life.
0:40:12 > 0:40:15'Bob isn't the only one enjoying work.'
0:40:15 > 0:40:18- The address is still the same?- Yeah.
0:40:18 > 0:40:22'Jane got a part-time job at a large pharmacy in Adelaide.'
0:40:22 > 0:40:27I really missed work. Billie went to school. I was on my own all day.
0:40:27 > 0:40:33Work is your social life. If you don't come to work you don't see anybody.
0:40:33 > 0:40:38'As a service coordinator, she earns a salary of about £20,000
0:40:38 > 0:40:41'but, for Jane, it's not about the money.'
0:40:41 > 0:40:43Work is essential for your sanity.
0:40:43 > 0:40:46'You do make friends through work.'
0:40:46 > 0:40:50And I have made some really good friends here. Yeah.
0:40:50 > 0:40:58'Both Jane and Bob seem to be enjoying their new lives down under, but it's been tough along the way.'
0:40:58 > 0:41:01'Walking into the unknown is massive.
0:41:01 > 0:41:04'We'd never visited Australia before.'
0:41:04 > 0:41:06It's like being reborn.
0:41:06 > 0:41:08You don't know anything.
0:41:08 > 0:41:12'Didn't know anybody over here, no friends, no family.'
0:41:12 > 0:41:15Robert really missed his friends.
0:41:15 > 0:41:18He really missed the social side of things.
0:41:18 > 0:41:20So we really struggled.
0:41:20 > 0:41:24He used to get stressed, worried about me and Billie.
0:41:24 > 0:41:29That was really hard, the first six to 12 months. It was a struggle.
0:41:29 > 0:41:33'Nothing prepared them for the nightmare that lay ahead.'
0:41:33 > 0:41:35I came to work, actually.
0:41:35 > 0:41:42I got pains in my left arm and I was thinking, "Have I been working too hard, too much physical work?"
0:41:42 > 0:41:49I thought nothing else of it and a couple of days later the pains ended up in my chest.
0:41:49 > 0:41:52I actually was going to my friend's party.
0:41:52 > 0:41:56Dad was walking round, his hands were all sweaty.
0:41:56 > 0:41:59I said, "Are you OK?" He's, like, "I'm fine."
0:41:59 > 0:42:03He said he was having problems with his chest.
0:42:03 > 0:42:06He phoned me up at work and just said
0:42:06 > 0:42:11he thought he was having a heart attack and he'd called an ambulance.
0:42:11 > 0:42:17You need ambulance cover, otherwise you get charged for an ambulance.
0:42:17 > 0:42:22I couldn't believe he was having a heart attack so my reaction was,
0:42:22 > 0:42:27"That's going to cost us 700! What did you call an ambulance for?"
0:42:27 > 0:42:31I knew there was something really drastic happening.
0:42:31 > 0:42:35I was in so much pain. Got to the hospital...
0:42:35 > 0:42:38The nurse said, "It is his heart."
0:42:38 > 0:42:43You could have knocked me down with a feather. I couldn't believe it.
0:42:43 > 0:42:48She's like, "Your dad's in hospital." And the shock came to me.
0:42:48 > 0:42:52Yeah, a massive worry and a massive shock. And, yeah...
0:42:52 > 0:42:56"Why has it happened to me?" seemed to be the case.
0:42:56 > 0:43:00When that happens, you do realise how far away you are.
0:43:00 > 0:43:05It was like, "Oh. There's nobody. There's just us three."
0:43:07 > 0:43:12I talked to the surgeons about how it could have happened.
0:43:12 > 0:43:18They put it into context of the move from England to Australia, the stress.
0:43:18 > 0:43:22You don't realise the pressure you are under. What if I lose my job?
0:43:22 > 0:43:27What if Billie doesn't like school or Jane doesn't want to live here?
0:43:27 > 0:43:32He said the stress in that, my body just rejected it, in a sense.
0:43:32 > 0:43:35If we'd have been able to afford to come home
0:43:35 > 0:43:39I think we would have done - I'm sure we would have done.
0:43:39 > 0:43:46If somebody had given me a plane ticket and said "if you want to go home you can" I would have gone.
0:43:46 > 0:43:48Without any hesitation.
0:43:48 > 0:43:53It wasn't a nice time. You wanted to be back home with everybody.
0:43:53 > 0:43:55It was really hard on us all.
0:43:55 > 0:44:00He was fine and the next minute he's had a heart attack.
0:44:00 > 0:44:04Things did start building up inside and I didn't realise at the time.
0:44:04 > 0:44:07I thought I was coping with everything.
0:44:07 > 0:44:12Apparently, my body wasn't. My brain was but everything else wasn't.
0:44:12 > 0:44:16Yeah. Got frightened. Got scared. Panicked.
0:44:23 > 0:44:27'Like the Ashtons, many people move down under
0:44:27 > 0:44:30'for the promise of a better lifestyle.
0:44:30 > 0:44:33'The climate can make it the perfect place
0:44:33 > 0:44:35'for families who enjoy the great outdoors.
0:44:37 > 0:44:42'Families may be able to afford good homes and a great standard of living
0:44:42 > 0:44:45'however, as the Ashtons discovered,
0:44:45 > 0:44:49'there are harsh truths to face once you've made the move.
0:44:49 > 0:44:53'Being apart from loved ones can be incredibly hard
0:44:53 > 0:44:56'and making new friends can be difficult.
0:44:56 > 0:45:01'It's little wonder that many ex-pats return within three years.
0:45:01 > 0:45:06'Out of those who stay, 1,000 get divorced or separated every year.
0:45:06 > 0:45:11'Moving to the other side of the world can create enormous stress
0:45:11 > 0:45:16'so it is important that you get as much information as you can before.
0:45:16 > 0:45:21'Since embarking, the Ashtons have gone on a huge journey
0:45:21 > 0:45:24'both physically and emotionally.
0:45:24 > 0:45:28'In the UK, Bob had been overwhelmed with grief.'
0:45:28 > 0:45:32I lost my father. You could say I ran away.
0:45:32 > 0:45:36In a sense, I left to find myself again.
0:45:36 > 0:45:40And...myself and Jane got divorced.
0:45:40 > 0:45:43'They felt a move would fix their problems
0:45:43 > 0:45:46'and give them the fresh start they needed.'
0:45:46 > 0:45:53Any mistakes we've made in the past, we can erase them and start again from scratch.
0:45:53 > 0:45:56Let's see if we can do a better job.
0:45:56 > 0:45:59'Four years ago on their trial week,
0:45:59 > 0:46:03'they got to experience everything Australia had to offer.'
0:46:03 > 0:46:07This is exactly the picture I had in my mind.
0:46:07 > 0:46:09It's absolutely breathtaking.
0:46:09 > 0:46:12'Dolphin-loving Billie had to learn the cruel lesson
0:46:12 > 0:46:16'that dreams don't always come true.'
0:46:16 > 0:46:18Help! Please! I don't like it!
0:46:18 > 0:46:21- CRYING:- I want my mum!
0:46:23 > 0:46:26'But things were to get a lot more difficult.'
0:46:26 > 0:46:30In 2006, the Ashtons had to face up to the prospect
0:46:30 > 0:46:33of leaving loved ones behind,
0:46:33 > 0:46:37as we showed them recorded messages from friends and family.
0:46:38 > 0:46:42We hope you're enjoying your time in Australia.
0:46:42 > 0:46:47A lovely little girl, Billie. Very grown-up for her age.
0:46:47 > 0:46:50Bob's a really out-going person.
0:46:50 > 0:46:53He'll have no trouble making friends.
0:46:53 > 0:46:55Everybody likes Bob.
0:46:55 > 0:47:00I think they'll miss us more than they realise.
0:47:00 > 0:47:02I think I'll be ever so upset.
0:47:02 > 0:47:05I will really, really miss them.
0:47:05 > 0:47:09You know, it'll be heartbreaking, really.
0:47:09 > 0:47:16I don't want him to go. They want to give it a try and good luck to them.
0:47:16 > 0:47:20We just do so many good fun things together.
0:47:20 > 0:47:23I will really miss Jane.
0:47:23 > 0:47:28The day that they get on the plane will be quite horrendous.
0:47:28 > 0:47:30I'm not looking forward to that day.
0:47:30 > 0:47:34We all love you and we're all going to miss you.
0:47:34 > 0:47:37Take care of yourselves.
0:47:38 > 0:47:41Bye.
0:47:55 > 0:47:58What do you think of that, then?
0:48:02 > 0:48:06'Four years on, the Ashtons have made the daunting move
0:48:06 > 0:48:11'but the messages they saw still haunt them.'
0:48:11 > 0:48:14- It was emotional.- Yeah. - When you saw your mum.
0:48:14 > 0:48:18She'd never said much about us moving to Australia.
0:48:18 > 0:48:24She said more on the DVD than to me. I found it quite emotional.
0:48:24 > 0:48:27'So how was it leaving loved ones behind?'
0:48:27 > 0:48:31The hardest part was the actual day we were leaving.
0:48:31 > 0:48:36Until then, we'd been busy packing, doing various bits and pieces.
0:48:36 > 0:48:40So the day that we left was a stark realisation that we were going.
0:48:40 > 0:48:43Everybody came to the house.
0:48:43 > 0:48:45Everybody came to say goodbye.
0:48:45 > 0:48:50And you knew that this was it. It's real. We're going.
0:48:51 > 0:48:53Yeah.
0:48:55 > 0:49:00'We've prepared a new set of messages from loved ones in the UK.
0:49:00 > 0:49:04'Bob's family had to come to terms with him having a heart attack
0:49:04 > 0:49:06'10,000 miles away.'
0:49:06 > 0:49:09Hello Rob, Jane, Billie.
0:49:09 > 0:49:11Good to see you again.
0:49:11 > 0:49:14Hello Bob, Jane and Billie!
0:49:14 > 0:49:18Couldn't believe you were going to the other side of the world.
0:49:18 > 0:49:21It took a while, you know.
0:49:21 > 0:49:26I can remember you saying, "I'm never going to see him again."
0:49:26 > 0:49:29- That's what me mum said.- Yeah.
0:49:29 > 0:49:33I remember sitting at work, looking at my watch,
0:49:33 > 0:49:39thinking, "They'll be at the airport." "Getting on the plane."
0:49:39 > 0:49:44"They'll have gone and I'm not going to see them for a long time."
0:49:44 > 0:49:46It was an interesting day.
0:49:46 > 0:49:49Neither of them had got jobs.
0:49:49 > 0:49:53They hadn't got a property to go to. They'd got all this to sort out.
0:49:53 > 0:49:59I think they thought it was going to be a holiday then reality kicks in.
0:49:59 > 0:50:01They've got to pay their bills.
0:50:01 > 0:50:05It was very difficult because I used to walk to school
0:50:05 > 0:50:10to pick Billie up and I still have to walk on the same route.
0:50:10 > 0:50:16I see her friends and I think, "She used to come to my flat and sleep."
0:50:16 > 0:50:19Sometimes, music will come on,
0:50:19 > 0:50:24and it'll be, "Oh, yeah! Jane and I did scary stuff to this music!"
0:50:24 > 0:50:26LAUGHTER
0:50:26 > 0:50:30It's a bit, "We don't do that any more.
0:50:30 > 0:50:33"Cos she's not here." Yeah, I do miss her.
0:50:33 > 0:50:38I miss Billie a lot cos I used to tell her all my secrets.
0:50:38 > 0:50:43Used to have girlie chats and when we were little, play with dolls.
0:50:43 > 0:50:46So I do miss all of that.
0:50:46 > 0:50:51Just before December last year, we were talking to him.
0:50:51 > 0:50:56And I said, "Are you all right, Rob?"
0:50:56 > 0:51:00- SHE LAUGHS - "Have you lost a bit of weight?"
0:51:00 > 0:51:04He then proceeded to tell us he'd had a heart attack.
0:51:04 > 0:51:09We were just numb. We couldn't get over it, couldn't believe it.
0:51:09 > 0:51:14No matter how much he said, "I'm fine now. Everything's fine."
0:51:14 > 0:51:17It was terrible. It really was.
0:51:17 > 0:51:20It must have been absolutely awful for Jane,
0:51:20 > 0:51:23having no family to turn to
0:51:23 > 0:51:25for support.
0:51:25 > 0:51:29That's when I thought, "It's such a long way away."
0:51:29 > 0:51:32You can't do anything for them.
0:51:32 > 0:51:34It must have been awful for Jane.
0:51:34 > 0:51:40The fact that we couldn't get to him there and then was a bit difficult.
0:51:40 > 0:51:43I think that he felt it the same.
0:51:43 > 0:51:48If he could have hopped on a plane, been transported over here,
0:51:48 > 0:51:50he would have.
0:51:50 > 0:51:54I heard a Kylie song today and thought of you, Jane.
0:51:54 > 0:51:59Just have a really great time, guys, and get on with it.
0:51:59 > 0:52:01Love you. Bye.
0:52:01 > 0:52:05I hope you've got over having Mother there for three months.
0:52:05 > 0:52:08I look forward to seeing you next year.
0:52:08 > 0:52:12Hope it all carries on being good for you.
0:52:12 > 0:52:14Bye, Billie.
0:52:18 > 0:52:22I'd be disappointed if they weren't missing us and upset.
0:52:22 > 0:52:26You know, it's ditto. It's vice versa.
0:52:26 > 0:52:29But we've got one life to live, haven't we?
0:52:29 > 0:52:34I probably didn't realise how much I missed Julia until I saw that.
0:52:34 > 0:52:38Yeah. Yeah. Finding friends over here was difficult.
0:52:38 > 0:52:43I realise that it doesn't come easy the older that you get.
0:52:43 > 0:52:47Making friends as a young person, in reality,
0:52:47 > 0:52:50it just seems to come natural.
0:52:50 > 0:52:53Once you reach 40,
0:52:53 > 0:52:58it's hard to find people who have got the same interests as yourself.
0:52:58 > 0:53:00I thought, "It'll be fine.
0:53:00 > 0:53:05"I'll take Billie to school and meet the mums of Billie's friends."
0:53:05 > 0:53:08They don't walk the kids to school.
0:53:08 > 0:53:12They live so far away, they drive and drop them off.
0:53:12 > 0:53:17They pick them back up, so there were never any mums at school.
0:53:17 > 0:53:20- Only me. "Hello!" - You were the only one that walked.
0:53:20 > 0:53:25The person I miss the most is my mum. Definitely.
0:53:25 > 0:53:30I hate to say this, but the person I think about most is my dad.
0:53:30 > 0:53:33Unfortunately, he's no longer with us.
0:53:33 > 0:53:39But, yeah, I think more about him now that he's not here.
0:53:39 > 0:53:42I suppose, since I had the attack,
0:53:42 > 0:53:45and how lucky I was...
0:53:45 > 0:53:52I think... Could I have asked my dad different questions if he had been around?
0:53:52 > 0:53:56What would I have asked my dad? That's such a personal feeling.
0:53:56 > 0:54:00- I don't think I've told Jane and Billie...- It's news to me.
0:54:00 > 0:54:05Yeah, I think about my dad quite a bit. Yeah.
0:54:05 > 0:54:07I miss him.
0:54:10 > 0:54:15'Bob and Jane made the brave move down under for the sake of Billie.
0:54:15 > 0:54:18'The risk seems to have paid off.'
0:54:18 > 0:54:21I've enjoyed making new friends
0:54:21 > 0:54:25Now I know that it can be done and it's easier than it seems.
0:54:25 > 0:54:28We go to the beach whenever it gets hot.
0:54:28 > 0:54:34Billie's unbelievable. She's surprised both myself and Jane.
0:54:34 > 0:54:37She's come out of her shell a lot.
0:54:37 > 0:54:41Within six weeks, she'd got new friends, a new life.
0:54:41 > 0:54:47She's growing up to be a nice young woman, which is frightening.
0:54:47 > 0:54:50'Having lived in Australia for four years,
0:54:50 > 0:54:53'Bob and Jane are slowly building a group of friends.'
0:54:53 > 0:54:57Life here's been...different.
0:54:57 > 0:55:03It's definitely had its ups and downs but, on the whole,
0:55:03 > 0:55:06yeah, it's good, we have a good laugh.
0:55:06 > 0:55:08Yeah... We're getting there.
0:55:08 > 0:55:11Friends are coming. It takes time.
0:55:11 > 0:55:15Now we seem to have got what we need.
0:55:15 > 0:55:20Now we can start living the life we want to live.
0:55:20 > 0:55:23It's all good now. Really, we're enjoying it.
0:55:23 > 0:55:29We're not Australian. We're English people that call Australia home.
0:55:29 > 0:55:32'It's time for one last vote.'
0:55:32 > 0:55:37Based on our lifestyle, the standard of living here, we choose...
0:55:40 > 0:55:42ALL: Australia.
0:55:42 > 0:55:46Despite initially finding it hard to make new friends
0:55:46 > 0:55:50and having serious health issues along the way,
0:55:50 > 0:55:54it seems the Ashtons are happy with their new life in Australia.
0:55:54 > 0:55:59Join us next time when we catch up with another family
0:55:59 > 0:56:01on Wanted Down Under Revisited.
0:56:16 > 0:56:19Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd