Andrews Family Wanted Down Under Revisited

Moving your family to the other side of the world can throw up

massive challenges -

finding the right house, juggling finances and

getting a job is daunting enough, but if your partner can't bear

to leave friends and family behind, it becomes a huge dilemma.

In 2011, the Andrews family faced just that decision.

Two years on, we'll find out how and where they are now.

Melanie Andrews was desperate to convince her husband Rob

that a life down under would be better for their future

and worth giving up close family ties in the UK.

Me auntie and uncle, they mean everything to me.

Leaving them behind is just going to be very hard.

But, after a week of shocks...

I'm not liking this at the moment.

..and surprises...

-Wow.

-Oh, my God!

Oh, I'm crying.

..have the Andrews managed to achieve the life Mel dreamt of?

The main thing is, as long as we're all happy and healthy and...

my kids are coming home smiling.

It's just great.

Australia's warm climate and golden beaches have long been

a magnet for Brits seeking a new life abroad.

On average, nearly 100 of us emigrate to Australia every day,

but the dream doesn't always match up to reality

and as many as a third of new arrivals end up heading back home.

Two years ago, the Andrews spent one week experiencing

the reality of life in Australia before having to decide

whether to make the move a permanent one.

Melanie was hoping she could persuade husband Rob that

Australia would give the family a better life.

Today, we'll find out what happened next.

In 2011, the Andrews embarked on their trial week.

Two flights, 9,000 miles and 22 hours gave them

plenty of time to think about the adventure ahead.

I'm really looking forward to it.

I just want to get in there and...

convince Rob that it's going to be good.

It's going to be more of a reality check.

This is sort of like the make or break.

It was a week that had the potential to change their lives forever,

and it was a long way from Folkestone in Kent.

Mel and husband Rob share their happy home with their children -

Coby, who was seven, and little Lexie, who was then just three.

But, for Mel, it was Australia that offered the life

she had dreamt of since she was a teenager.

I'd originally planned to go travelling for six weeks

and it fell through, so I couldn't go.

Um, and there was a second time that I was going to go and that

fell through and I was so upset and so gutted that I couldn't go.

-No-one wanted to take her, to be honest.

-No, third time lucky.

A few years previously, a family holiday down under had

convinced Melanie Australia should be their home.

I absolutely loved it and Coby and Lexie did as well.

But, if they were going to make the dream a reality,

they had to move fast as their visa was close to running out.

Once that expires, if we haven't gone to Australia permanently,

then we just wouldn't be able to get that visa again.

I just want to get out there now. You know, I've just got to try and convince Rob.

For the move to work, Rob had to decide

if he could walk away from the family cleaning business

he ran with his brother and start again in Australia.

'Moving to Australia and starting fresh

'and not having the network support that we've got here,'

you know, it will be hard, so, yeah, that does worry me as well.

But there was something even more important than work than Rob

would have to leave behind - his close family and friends.

'Me auntie and uncle, I'm very close to.'

You know, and they mean everything to me.

'Leaving them behind is just going to be very hard.'

Cos I'm just going to miss them...

so much.

HE CRIES

'I wouldn't want Rob to do anything that'

he didn't want to do. And I certainly don't want him to think that

I'm trying to emotionally blackmail him into going

and forcing him because, you know, I wouldn't.

I love him to bits so, you know, at the end of the day,

he's my husband and if he doesn't want to go, then we won't go, but...

you know, I just don't know how...how much I'd resent him

later on for not going.

'I've always said, "I'll never say goodbye."

'I say, "I'll see you soon,"'

because I think goodbye means...

you know, maybe forever and, you know,

I don't want it to be like that.

With so much at stake, everyone's emotions were running high.

Ahead of them was a huge decision,

perhaps the toughest they would ever have to make.

The family visited Perth in Western Australia.

Home for their trial week was the popular beachside suburb of

Watermans Bay, just a short drive from the airport.

The three-bedroom property was only a couple of minutes' walk to

the beach and had plenty of space for all the family.

Ooh! Look!

Oh, look!

-I think the kids have got over their jetlag now.

-I know.

-They're not going to sleep tonight.

-No, it'll be a nightmare tonight.

Coby and Lexie settled in well,

but Mel and Rob's thoughts were already on the week ahead.

What I'd really like to get out of this week would be for Rob to

really like it and to think, "Yeah, I could see myself living here."

I think it's going to open our eyes a lot more to what

we thought it was going to be like.

Back in the UK, the Andrews

lived in this three-bedroom ex-council house in Folkestone.

Based on its estimated value,

they had a budget of around £180,000 to spend on an Australian property

and they were expecting a lot for their money.

It would be at least a four-bedroom detached.

'Whether it's got a pool or not, it's got to have a home cinema.'

That's always been something I've always wanted.

'Mel does want a nice house, but, as long as it's big enough to,'

hopefully, accommodate loads of visits from friends and family,

then that'll do me fine.

To give the Andrews a taste of Perth's housing market,

we showed them three options based on what they wanted,

and what they could afford.

Once they'd seen each house, we'd reveal how much it cost.

Their property tour started in the suburb of Butler

on the outskirts of the city.

This three-bedroom property was a typical modern Aussie style home

that should appeal to both Mel and Rob.

That's a nice front room.

You could have a dining room table here, couldn't you?

I don't know. I'm not liking this at the moment.

-Not a bad sized kitchen though.

-No.

This three-bedroom house wasn't impressing Rob,

who looked like he might be a tough customer.

It's got a walk-in wardrobe and an en suite.

-No, this isn't bad...

-Yeah...

-..but you don't live in your bedroom, so...

-I know.

There was only the outside space left to try and tempt him.

-This is quite nice cos it's...

-Yeah.

-..like a blank canvas.

-But we'd have to spend a lot to get it how we would want it.

-Yeah.

And I don't think it would be worth it.

The house had left Rob cold, but what about the price?

Would they even be able to afford something like this

on their £180,000 budget?

Go on, then.

Whoa!

-£230,000!

-£230,000!

If I had a choice to buy this...

-I wouldn't.

-No.

-I just don't like it.

At £50,000 over budget, it was a big set back for Mel.

It's a no-no, this one.

Well, let's just hope you like the next one then.

ROB LAUGHS

In Perth, affordable housing is often found out in the suburbs,

which sometimes means up to a two-hour daily commute.

With their budget in mind, the Andrews headed to Yanchep.

The average house price in this area was still high,

but a cheaper new build was a realistic option.

As the development was still being built,

they viewed a three-bedroom show home to give them an idea

of what a typical finished house would look like.

This is nice.

Nice big walk-in wardrobe.

Look at the size of that.

Cor, this is lovely.

As soon as you walk in the door, it's got that bit of a wow factor.

The cinema room...

-It ticks all the boxes so far.

-Oh, definitely.

Nice double bedroom. Ideal for Coby. I like the big windows as well.

-That's a nice sized bedroom.

-Oh, Lexie would love this room.

-It's lovely, innit?

-They're all nice sized rooms, aren't they?

-Yeah.

With its stylish interiors and open spaces, this house felt ideal

and a large garden, complete with built-in barbecue,

seemed tailor-made for Mel's dream of an outdoor lifestyle,

assuming the sun came out.

But was the house within their £180,000 budget?

Go on, then.

-Wow.

-Oh, my God!

£200,000. 300,000.

-Nice. That's all right.

-When can we move in?

It was £20,000 over budget, but Mel could see the possibilities

and even Rob looked as if he might be ready to settle in.

But, before they made a final decision on property,

there was one more to see.

The final house was in the coastal suburb of Banksia Grove,

and a 30-minute drive to Perth made it the closest of

all three properties to the city.

Like so much of what was on offer in Perth,

it was another new build house. Mel and Rob viewed a show home.

With four bedrooms, a cinema room and open-plan design,

on paper, this looked like a house that could definitely convince Rob.

-Nice.

-It is.

-Yeah.

Nice, big hallway.

Wow.

Walk-in wardrobe. Nice. The en suite.

Nice shower.

It was a good start and there was another room to come.

Oh, this is nice. Yeah!

-Oh, I could see myself sitting in here.

-Coby would love it.

-Yeah.

It looked as if property three could offer the space the Andrews wanted.

-It's an ideal size for us four.

-Oh, yeah, definitely. I love it so far.

Yeah, I do. Move in tomorrow!

Rob looked won over and there was still the outside space to see.

With a stunning garden complete with beer pumps,

this was a house that seemed to have everything they were looking for.

-It's lovely.

-Yeah. Very nice.

-Perfect.

But, with a budget of £180,000, could they afford it?

-Hmm.

-Oh, we're far off, then!

-£270,000.

-So, we wouldn't really be able to afford it.

-No.

I was expecting maybe a little bit cheaper...

-than 405,000.

-If we were both working...

..full-time in Australia, then I don't see why

we wouldn't be able to afford...

-Something like this.

-..something like this.

-Now I've seen it, I want it.

-Oh, I know that, I know that!

They'd potentially found the dream house that could persuade Rob

to move to Oz, but it was £90,000 over budget.

It had been an eye-opening day for the Andrews.

The first house offered Mel the space and location she wanted,

but Rob's reaction, and a big price tag

left the Andrews feeling cold.

The second house spiced things up with its stunning interiors

and cinema room, and costing less than they expected,

it showed Rob an upside to property down under.

Finally, the third house's open-plan living and decor to die for

offered both Rob and Mel a genuine dream house,

even if the cost was a big ask.

While Mel could be happy in any of them,

had these properties done enough to convince Rob that the move

would be worth all the pain of leaving home behind.

Based on the properties that we've seen today...

..um, the houses in Australia versus England...

..we have decided to vote for.

BOTH: Australia!

-For the money you spend, you get a lot more for your money.

-Yeah.

And, like, the three properties we saw, two of them...

were just really nice and just what we was looking for.

Round one, Australia.

-Get ready for round two.

-Yeah.

It had been a promising start for Mel,

but with their budget potentially stretched by property,

it was time to explore their work opportunities.

Back in the UK, Rob worked at the cleaning firm

started by his parents.

Moving the company down under would have been impossible,

so Rob was considering returning to a trade he'd learned previously.

I did used to do painting and decorating many years ago.

It's something I enjoy, so, whether there was a way...

of getting into that field of work...

yeah, I would like to definitely find out more about that as well.

But while Rob's work would be vital to their finances,

it was Mel who held the key to the move thanks to her

hairdressing qualifications, which had earned their Australian visa.

Giving up work to have a family, however, had left her with

a huge confidence issue about returning to employment full-time.

My main reservations about going back into hairdressing is,

I suppose, is am I still as good as I...

think I am, or that I was?

Because I haven't worked in a salon for so long and obviously,

you know, techniques have changed.

So, we arranged for her to see if she could still cut it

at a modern salon in Subiaco, a trendy inner city suburb.

-Mel's Australian dream rested on her ability to impress.

-Hiya.

-Hi, Mel!

-How are you?

-Well, thank you.

-And welcome to my salon.

After a quick hello, manager Charlene put Mel straight to work.

So, if you can, um, shampoo, blow-dry and style it,

-so I can just have a look at your blow-drying skill.

-Yeah, OK.

-So, let's get started with that.

-Lovely.

-OK, Laura?

-How's that water for you, Laura?

-Perfect, thank you.

Although it was vital for Mel to find work,

a lot would also rest on how Rob got on.

If he could find a job that paid a decent wage,

then Mel would be another step closer to her dream.

The work is the most important thing in this move.

You know, if we can both get a job that we both enjoy

and the money's there,

then we can start to set our target in, you know,

achieving the house that we want and the area that we want to live in.

Rob spent the day working with expat Bernie who

ran his own painting and decorating business.

-All right, mate.

-All right. How are you? Rob, Bernie.

-How are you going?

Yeah, good, mate.

Keen to see what he could do, Bernie set Rob to work.

But was Rob really prepared to swap everything he had in the UK,

for a chance to work in the sunshine?

I've still got, you know, concerns about leaving

me family behind,

'but, I think if they saw what I could actually achieve here,

'hopefully they can come round to the way that we're

'thinking and they'd be pleased with'

the decision that we may make.

Back at the salon,

Mel's time away from hairdressing was beginning to show.

It just getting used to...

-to doing it all again.

-Yeah.

-If you're thinking about coming out here in another six months...

-Yeah.

..you could do a few courses in London or, you know,

-go to a few salons and maybe get some part-time work.

-Yeah.

Just so you're not so rusty when you come to Australia.

It was bad news.

If Mel wanted to make the grade in this kind of salon,

she would need to retrain, and with courses costing around 500, that

meant at least a couple of thousand dollars just to get her back up to speed.

Would the salary compensate for that?

If I was employed as a junior stylist,

what are the wages sort of...?

-It would be around about between 19 to 21.

-OK.

'That hourly rate meant a potential annual salary of around £28,000.'

£10,000 more than she would have earned in the UK,

but it would have come at a cost.

I think the fact that I'd have to retrain...it hasn't put me off

hairdressing, because, I think, in a way, you know,

it's something that I would like to do to

refresh my memory as well for, like, colouring and cutting

and to be able to do more up-to-date techniques and things like that.

It was a mixed result for Mel, so everything now hinged on Rob.

That's it.

But before he could make a decision,

he needed to get some answers from Bernie.

What's the, um, wage that, you know,

a decent painter could earn?

The average? 30 an hour.

-That's good.

-Yeah.

So, if you were to work a Saturday, you're on about 75,000 a year.

-Wow, that's good.

-Yeah, nice. It's a good life.

-Yeah.

-Yep.

So, work wise in Perth, is there quite a bit of work here?

Yeah, there's plenty of work in Australia.

I've never been out of work myself.

And how long have you been here for?

-13 years.

-13 years.

-Yeah.

You can't go wrong.

-Just look me up when you get here.

-Yeah. Oh, yeah, definitely.

-Maybe sooner rather than later then.

-Yeah, I'll give you a try.

It was a great result for Rob.

'He could earn more than £50,000 a year in Oz,

'doubling his current UK salary. But was the potential of work'

really worth giving up the family business for?

It was a big decision,

and the future of the move lay in Rob's hands.

Based on our work experience today and...

the working hours and the wages we can earn, we are voting for...

Australia.

..Australia.

Ooh! SHE GIGGLES

-Shocked?

-I am, actually. Oh, I'm crying.

Hey!

I think I was just so worried that...

you know, you wouldn't...

They'd say, "Oh, you need to be qualified,"

or you wouldn't be able to earn the money. I was thinking,

"Oh, God, he's going to choose England,"

and that'd be it, that'd be our dream over.

So, I'm pleased.

It looked as if Rob was coming round,

but the question remained - could they afford to live down under?

Now, the shopping list...

£9.81! Oh, my God!

Is that right?!

To help them find out,

we prepared a breakdown of their weekly living expenses.

Any differences in the cost of living could be

offset by their potential earnings.

So, in the UK, our total income...

..per year is £28,120.

So, you full-time in Australia,

me full-time...

We would be £3,950 a month better off.

But that's just me as a junior stylist, so that would go up.

So, obviously, we've got to take into consideration the mortgage,

so, even with that taken off...

-you're still looking roughly about £2,000 better off.

-A month.

-You know, it's sort of there for the taking.

-Yeah.

On paper, it looked like the Andrews could be as much as £2,000

a month better off in Australia.

'With all the facts and figures sorted, it was time to vote.'

Based on the figures that we've seen today for the reality check, and

the wages that we could potentially earn in Australia

and how they compare to the UK...

we have decided to vote for...

BOTH: Australia!

It was a no-brainer - Australia.

-Definitely.

-So, um...we could actually...

have a really nice lifestyle as a family.

-Good.

-Pleased?

The sums had added up in Mel's favour.

If Perth could also offer the Andrews a good lifestyle,

she could be even closer to convincing Rob to follow her dream.

The Andrews visited John Forrest Park about 16 miles from Perth.

It was the ideal spot for a family day out.

This area is lovely, isn't it?

The park we've come to is...the views are just stunning.

This is just how I imagined life in Australia to be, you know,

being able to be outdoors, taking the kids places all together as a family.

You know, the kids are going to benefit from it big time.

To round the day off, Rob had a chance to

indulge in an activity he enjoyed with his brother back home.

-Don't fall off.

-I won't.

-G'day, Rob.

-Hello, mate. How you doing?

-I'm Greg.

Rob hit the trail with Greg from the Perth Mountain Bike Club

and it was going well...

..to start with!

I took a bit of a tumble, but, that's part and parcel

of mountain biking, but now I'm fine, just...

my pride hurts more than anything!

If I'm here, it's just a shame that me brother

won't be here to do it, which is

just the sad bit, cos he...you know, it's me and him

that always go out and do stuff like that, but...

but, no, something like this is just brilliant.

The reality of what he would be leaving behind was becoming

clear to Rob, but, for Mel, it was just as clear that Australia

offered everything she had ever wanted.

I don't know why, but I've never really felt settled anywhere.

I don't know, it's really hard to explain,

but here, I could honestly say I could call this my home.

It had been a day to remember, but had a taste of

the Australian lifestyle been enough to win everyone's vote?

On today's outing...

..and, based on the day we had...

we are going to vote for...

Australia!

Australia.

Undecided.

-Really?

-When I done...

..the mountain biking, which I really enjoyed...

um, it just brought home with, like, you know, me brother...

I knew it would.

-I just felt a bit lonely, that was all.

-Yeah.

So, I've still got a bit of convincing then, to get you out here.

It should have been the most enjoyable day of the trip,

but Mel's mission to win over Rob had suffered a serious set back.

This is it, you know, I haven't got any other chances,

so I'm just hoping that...

you know, I can convince Rob that this would be the best place

to bring up the kids and...

you know, for all of us as a family, be able to settle down and

just enjoy our lifestyle.

Time was running out for Mel to convince Rob to make the move.

With Rob's resolve wavering, the Andrews were about to get

another reminder of the friends and family they'd be leaving behind.

Rob and Mel felt it was important for the children to watch

messages from loved ones too.

-Hello, Mel and Robert.

-I hope you're

having a good time out there. I hope the sun's shining.

What are they like as a family?

They're...loving. Very loving.

-Very close.

-Very close. Very caring.

They're really, really good fun. Their children are lovely.

A really, really nice family.

I mean, nine times out of ten, Rob is always the funniest person

in the room, without a shadow of a doubt.

-He is definitely one of a kind.

-Coby, he's quite a bright lad.

-Very bright.

-You only have to show him something once and

-he picks it up. He's quite good like that.

-Yes.

-He's very caring.

When I first heard that they was going to be moving to Australia

and applying to go to Australia...

um, I thought it was going to be a good thing.

I know they both wanted to do something like that anyway.

He's like a brother.

SHE CRIES

I don't really know how we're going to, sort of,

fill the gap that they're going to leave,

until they've actually done it, really, you know,

but the decision's up to you and I'm sure you'll make the right one.

Good luck.

We love you dearly...

very, very much.

We all do and we hope you make the right decision and...

-Yeah, good luck.

-Good luck and love you.

-Yeah.

And I hope that you've done all that you wanted to do.

Yeah, and whatever decision you make, make sure it's for you, make sure

it's the one that you're happy with and the one that will make you happy.

As your mum...

I just want you to be happy.

Yeah, and we'll see you when you get back. Take care.

-Bye.

-Bye!

-Bye.

-How'd you feel?

-Hmm...

-..sad.

-You feel sad?

You know, there's been some real big positives...

but then you watch that...

And it makes you feel...

And it like, it can just take everything away and...

whatever decision we make, we've got to make for

the best for our family, don't we?

You know, me auntie and uncle, I know it's hard for them,

it's hard for me as well.

The thing is, we don't know if it's the right decision or not,

but I guess we'll never know unless we try it.

Watching the messages had made the whole family think carefully

about the momentous decision they were about to make.

'I've really enjoyed this week.

'Obviously, on the downside, there's, you know,

'you watch your family and friends at home,'

and it doesn't make it any easier and you know that it's

going to be really hard having to leave them behind,

but I've got to try

and focus and think what's best for our family and our future, so...

My emotions have been up and down all week.

'If I decided against the move to Australia, Mel...

'..yeah, I think she would be upset, so, yeah,

'that does play on my mind a little bit,'

because she's me wife at the end of the day,

and I want to try to make her happy.

It was the end of a difficult week

and time for the Andrews to make their final decision.

We've had our ups, we've had our downs...

..and it's now time for the family to vote

whether it's UK or Australia.

As a family, we have decided that we want to live in...

-..Australia.

-Australia.

Really?

I think if we don't...

..give it a go...

we're going to regret it for the rest of our lives.

It's going to be the hardest...

the hardest thing we'll ever do, but...

life's too short to have regrets and I don't want that.

Cool.

-What about you, Cobes?

-What did you say to Daddy?

You want to live in Australia and you want to live in the UK,

-don't you?

-Yeah.

And Lexie chose Australia!

It is a big step and we don't know

-if the grass is greener on the other side.

-But, um...

..yeah.

I think, for the family's point of view, yeah, you've got to do it.

Definitely. Go for it?

-Hmm.

-You want to go for it?

Yeah.

MEL LAUGHS

Love you.

Love you, Mummy.

It had been an incredibly emotional week for the Andrews,

but when their time in Australia was up,

Rob agreed with Melanie that a life down under was worth trying.

So, two years on, are the Andrews living the life Mel had dreamed of?

It's 2013 and the Andrews family are in...

the UK.

But they're only here temporarily to catch up with family and friends.

-Who is it?

-THEY CHEER

Today, they're reuniting with Mel's mum and dad.

Hello!

As well as her sister and family.

Hello, mate.

-Hello, mate.

-How are you doing?

A year after their trial week, the Andrews took the plunge

and moved to Australia.

And, this time when they fly back down under, it'll be for good.

When we go back to Australia, we've got a one-way.

So, uh...

I think going back this time, I'm not looking forward to it.

I think it's going to be a lot worse than what it was the first time,

cos we knew we were coming back to see everyone.

Mel's family are dreading the day they depart.

Knowing that they're going back to Australia on a one-way ticket...

um, is quite emotional.

'It's going to be sad saying goodbye this time.'

It was sad enough last time,

but it's going to be really sad this time.

'I've missed them all loads, so'

it's really good seeing them again,

'spending some time with them.'

'It'll be horrible saying goodbye again,'

cos we said it last time as well, when they actually went,

but knowing they won't come back this time...

'it'll be horrible.'

A couple of days later, the time has come

for the Andrews to get on a plane and return to their new life.

I'm looking forward to it,

but, I think it has been harder saying goodbye.

'It's not that we're never coming back, but we know

'we're not coming back next year like we was the first time.'

'But, I think once we arrive back in Australia, we know we've got

'a lot to focus on that might help us get through it.'

'But it'll definitely be harder.'

The Andrews have swapped their lives in Kent for

the up-and-coming suburb of Canning Vale near Perth.

The enormity of their journey only really hit home

when they arrived back in Australia, this time for good.

When we first landed at the airport, it was like,

"Wow, we're actually here now."

And the feeling was this isn't for a holiday.

It was quite a scary feeling, wasn't it? When we landed at the airport.

It was like there's no going back now.

The kids start school soon, you know, we've left our life behind.

I suddenly...it sort of just hit me and I thought, "Oh, my God,

"have we done the right thing?"

The Andrews are living in a four-bedroom detached house

just 20 minutes from the beach and 20km from the centre of Perth.

And Rob's delighted with his new surroundings.

When I drive to work and I'm heading towards the city,

you know, you're driving over the Swan River

and the sun's shining, you feel happy straight away.

And Dad's not the only one loving the Aussie climate.

With a park right across the street from their new home,

the whole family are enjoying more time outdoors.

It's all a long way from Folkestone and the life they've left behind.

Back in the UK, where our house was situated,

it was in like a little cul-de-sac, but it wasn't really...

There was a lot of cars going back and forth,

so, especially with Coby and Lexie being the age they are,

you know, they didn't really go outside on their own a lot,

whereas here,

they can come across to the park as long as we can see them.

Um...

You know, they love coming out and just being outside, kicking

a ball about, catching a Frisbee, playing in the park.

'So, I think it's definitely benefitted them.'

For now, the Andrews are renting, but plans for the four-bedroom

dream house with a home cinema room have not been forgotten.

In the end, you know, our main goal is to buy land

and have our own place built,

but that's sort of the start of the Australian dream to do that,

but as for where we're living and for the school where

our kids go to, you know, it is a real good place.

Lexie, who's now five,

and Coby, who's nine, are both settling in well, but it did

take some adjusting to get used to life on the other side of the world.

Coby, he misses his cousins back home a lot and, obviously,

his friends, but...you know, I think overall he does enjoy it here,

he really does.

It took me quite a while to, um, kind of make new friends,

but, when I first started here it was kind of OK, but I didn't

know a lot of people, but I've made loads of friends here now.

Mel believes the move has really helped Coby grow.

'He seems happier in himself, you know.'

He just seems more relaxed and more chilled,

and Lexie, well, Lexie's just Lexie.

She's just...

I don't think it would matter where Lexie is,

as long as she's got her family around her, she's happy.

I love my school.

Yeah, school's very fun.

They're in one of the best schools in Canning Vale, primary schools,

um, and they're thriving.

'I would say Coby does better in school now than

'what he did in the UK.'

'One year after the move, it looks like Mel's dream

'of the Australian life could be coming true.'

But it hasn't all been plain sailing.

As soon as they arrived, Rob hit a problem finding work.

Yeah, well, when I, um...

when we made the move over here, obviously, I was, uh...

wanting to get into me painting and decorating,

but that's sort of been put on hold for the time being.

Rob had been hoping to secure employment through a contact he met

on the family's initial trip, but the promise of work fell through.

I was just so geared up and looking forward to,

when I arrived, to meeting up and working with him.

And, um, you know, when we first spoke

when I arrived it was all positive, but within a couple of weeks,

he, you know, unlucky for him,

he did lose a bit of work and it stopped me from actually working

with him and, to be honest, I was, you know, really, really gutted.

So I felt like, "Right, now, I've got to start again."

With his painting job falling through,

Rob fell back on a trade he knew well.

I've started up doing me carpet cleaning,

which I used to do back home as well.

Um, and, yeah, it's going really well.

Um, you know, I had to invest in some machinery and a vehicle,

so, yeah, it's going really well.

SOUND DIPPED

The carpet cleaning work has taken off, but Rob's dream

of running his own decorating business is still very much alive.

'Here, to go off on your own, you need a painter's registration.'

So, um, I'm going back to college doing night school

just to get the ticket.

Are you happy with that?

SOUND DIPPED

Mel also struggled to land her dream job.

The plan to work full-time in a hairdressing salon proved

just too difficult to juggle with childcare.

The hours in a salon just wouldn't be practical for me, especially with the

children at school. I need something around them,

so I'm working as a secretary for a cleaning company,

so it's very similar to what I was doing back in the UK

so it's something I'm familiar with.

'So, I basically run the office, which, you know, I really enjoy

'and it's nice because I can work it around the children's schooling.'

Finding work hasn't been the only issue

the Andrews have faced in moving.

Sometimes loved ones in the UK feel very far away.

I've had my bad days, you know, and I've cried

and I've found it hard and I've missed my friends and my family,

'like my sister, you know? I love my sister to bits.'

And, um...

..just not knowing when I'm going to see her.

That's what I find hard.

But, on the whole, I think I've coped quite well.

For Rob, leaving his aunt and uncle was always one

of the main stumbling blocks to making the move.

Breaking the news to them that the family were leaving

was even harder than he imagined.

'So, yeah, when the time come to tell them, it was, um...

'you know, it was, uh, I suppose like a lightning strike,'

I suppose, to them knowing that we was actually going to leave and...

but I never...I never thought I would get that reaction what we did.

Rob's aunt and uncle were devastated by the family's decision and,

one year on, the family still have little contact.

It hurt, didn't it? It hurt you big time.

Oh, you know, it still does, but...

you know, it's nothing you can do

and we've just got to, you know, carry on, haven't we?

Despite a shaky start down under,

Mel still believes following her dream was the right thing to do.

You know, the first year's been a learning curve and, you know,

it's got us in here and we're starting to make friends.

I think that next year, our second year, I think we've just got

so much to look forward to.

By the third year, I think, you know, we will class it as being settled

and feeling like we're at home.

The family's new life in Australia has also come with

plenty of upsides, which go a long way to helping Rob come to terms

with what he's had to leave behind.

I've spent a lot more time with my children

and I'm doing more with them...

because we've got that chance to.

I mean, I can start work early, you know, finish sort of afternoon,

when they come out from school

'and that gives us a chance to do stuff, so,

'moving to Australia, I'm benefitting by

'seeing my kids grow up.'

SOUND DIPPED

I think it's brought us closer together as a couple as well,

because, especially when we first got out here, we didn't know anyone!

So, it was a case of, "Right, you're stuck with me,

"we've got to do something together."

Whereas, back in the UK, you know, you'd be out shopping for hours or...

-Shopping!

-..going out for a coffee and, you know, doing stuff,

but, I think, it's worked in our favour as a couple.

'I think it has brought us closer together.'

Coby and Lexie believe Mum and Dad are in Australia for good.

Um, I definitely think they want to stay here and...

um...

LEXIE WHISPERS

..they don't want to go back to the UK.

Moving to the other side of the world hasn't just brought

the family closer - it's made it bigger too.

For the family we've, um...

we've got another one on the way. Um...

So, it's going to be five of us now.

Um, so that's going to be exciting times.

With the new addition to the family due to arrive in a few months,

the children are looking forward to the future.

-Me and Lexie want to...

-LEXIE WHISPERS

We want a...we want a little brother and...

cos...I don't know why Lexie does,

but I just want another brother because...

So he can teach him wrestling and beat me up.

That's not true.

All five of the Andrews are set to live their

Australian lives to the full.

I think our future is in Australia.

Um...and I think, you know, by having a baby in Australia, it's

probably going to give you a bit more of a bond to the country as well.

The main thing is, as long as we're all happy and healthy and...

my kids are coming home smiling...

and we're down that beach at the weekends in the summer, then...

then, yeah, it's just great.

It may not have been completely plain sailing for the Andrews,

but they've no regrets when it comes to having decided to make

a new start for their family in Australia.

We wish Rob, Melanie, Coby, and Lexie the best of luck.