Clanahan Family Wanted Down Under Revisited

Building a future with your partner

is one of life's great adventures.

But if you can't agree on which side of the world to spend it,

even the strongest of relationships can be tested.

Two years ago,

Australian-born Leah Clanahan was hoping a trial week spent in

Adelaide would finally convince her husband to make

the move down under, for good.

Today, we'll find out if Leah's dream to return home has come true.

In 2013, Leah was yearning to return to her homeland.

I think if we don't go back to Australia to live,

I'm going to be broken-hearted.

But for husband, Andrew, that was a massive ask.

If I leave the UK, then I'm leaving my family behind,

that I very much care for, and don't want to do that.

A trial week down under saw Leah at breaking point.

After this week if it's a no,

I have to totally change my life.

So, two years on, has Leah's wish been granted?

I want to make her happy. That's the one thing I know

that would make her happy.

In the last 20 years, over 600,000 British citizens have moved

to Australia, drawn by its warm climate, endless beaches,

and wide-open countryside.

The country's a magnet for those seeking a better life abroad,

but for some, Australia doesn't live up to expectations,

and around a half return home, having given up the dream.

The Clanahans had visited Adelaide before,

but the trip they made in 2013 was like

no other.

Heart-broken at being separated from loved ones in her native

Australia, Mum, Leah, was hoping the benefits the country offered

her family would be enough to persuade

husband, Andrew, to sign up to a

new life in the sun.

Today, we'll discover

if it's the UK or Australia

the Clanahans now call home.

The 10,000-mile flight to Adelaide was a familiar

one for the family, and touchdown

saw Leah in top form.

The idea of coming home's fantastic, you know, the air's different.

But more than 24 hours in the air had given Andrew

plenty of time for serious thinking.

I'm quite apprehensive about the week ahead. No idea,

don't know the salaries, um...

I honestly don't know what we'll be able to afford.

Now, I know Australia's the place I want to be.

But I just need Andrew to realise that as well.

Leah had just one week to quell Andrew's fears

or her homecoming dream would be gone forever.

Back in 2013, the Clanahans were living in Lauder, near Edinburgh.

Originally from Adelaide, in South Australia, Leah had

come to the UK on a backpacking trip ten years previously.

I met Andrew, and that kind of just changed the whole trip.

It was never, ever meant to be anything serious

because she knew she was going back home.

That was always her intention.

When photographer Leah became pregnant with Marlee,

the move back to Australia was still on the cards,

until Andrew's father suddenly passed away.

My family are very close.

It was just the four of us, my sister, myself, Mum and Dad.

And when Dad went, that was a big, big shock to us

and I suppose any plans that we had, it did put it on hold.

Andrew felt he couldn't leave his family when they needed him most.

But Leah was desperate to bring her daughter up

surrounded by her own family down under.

That just changed everything. All I wanted to do was go home.

You know, this was my first baby and it just made me realise,

I think it emphasised to me where I want to be.

Spending all their spare cash on trips to Adelaide was putting

the family under huge financial strain.

Yeah, I mean, it costs me an absolute fortune

going out to Australia.

And the reason why we keep going on holiday but not moving out there?

Erm, it's just purely because not knowing work-wise

what I would get when I go over there.

I'm settled here.

I've got, I've got a job that I enjoy doing,

that's reasonably paid,

and it's leaving everybody behind.

Torn between families on opposite sides of the globe,

things were becoming desperate.

I think our relationship has certainly changed in the last

couple of years. I certainly feel more resentful to him.

I worry about my mother getting older,

and who's going to look after her and...

All the worries Andrew has for his mum at the moment,

I have for my mum every day, so...

Erm, after this week, if it's a no,

I have to totally change my life and my thinking.

Andrew knew his wife's future happiness was at stake.

It makes me feel pretty down, myself, seeing that Leah's unhappy.

So, I'm well aware that if we go over to Australia,

that would be good for her,

it would make her feel so much better.

For Leah, a life down under meant everything.

A dream come true for me

would be to live my life in Australia.

That's it.

I know it's sad, but that would be my dream.

The Clanahans were at crisis point.

The following week would determine whether Andrew would grant Leah

her dream or whether the family would stay in the UK for good.

The Clanahans spent their trial week in Dernancourt,

an established suburb in the north-east of Adelaide.

Their temporary home for the week was a period cottage.

Did it put Andrew in the right frame of mind?

This is nice.

-This place is quite deceiving.

-It is!

It's just beautiful. It's very olde-worlde,

which I don't think Andrew believes

Australia has to offer, so that's good to show him that.

-Things were off to a good start.

-I get pressured

when I come out to Australia all the time because Leah's thinking,

"Well, he doesn't want to move to Australia," but that is not

the case. It's just the uncertainty, moving to

Australia, and what we'd be coming out to do.

The family's future rested on the week ahead.

It could be difficult.

We could end up leaving here at the end of the week

and she could be quite down about her decision,

if it ends up going UK.

If I don't get what I want at the end of it, which is

to move back to Australia, then I have to try and work out,

can I live the rest of my life in Scotland?

And daughter, Marlee, was also concerned about the future.

I'm a bit worried about my mum and dad,

if they said if one stays in Scotland and one stays in Australia.

With so much at stake,

the week ahead really was crunch time for the Clanahans.

Back home in Scotland, the Clanahans were living in a three-storey

five-bedroom new build in Lauder.

I really love this house.

I think we're quite lucky having the space that we do.

Probably, it would be emotional to give up this home because,

erm, we've raised our daughter here.

I mean, it gives you everything that I would want in a home, I suppose.

Um, it's just in the wrong country for me.

The couple had very clear ideas about what

they would like from a house down under.

-Four bedrooms is what I'm really looking for.

-In Australia,

growing up there, I know the houses,

they have big verandas around the house.

-I mean, I would love something like that.

-Because we've used

any savings to go to Australia,

any money I'm going to be taking with us, it'll be from the house.

I think we're probably looking to spend between £250,000 to £300,000.

If we go there and we find that, in reality, we can only afford

a one-bedroom flat, then, that's not going to happen.

And we'll just maybe have to come to terms that Australia's

going to be off for us.

To give the Clanahans an idea of what their budget could

buy in Adelaide, we showed them three properties,

ranging from the affordable

to their dream home.

The search began in Mawson Lakes,

a suburb in the north-east of Adelaide.

Just 20 minutes from the city centre

and with Leah's family nearby,

it could have been the perfect spot for the family.

-Wow.

-This is different to how it looks outside. It's nice.

-Nice long hallway.

-Yeah.

-Very long hallway.

-This would be your bedroom, Marlee...

It's a reasonable size as well.

This is an en-suite that goes back out into the other side.

I like this.

It was looking good, so far.

-Look at this.

-Wow.

It's a nice house.

I like it here.

With Andrew making all the right noises,

Leah should have been pleased. But was she?

You see, I think I, personally, would prefer to live

further afield, to get more room.

But then this is handy for the city.

I just think this house is a little bit too small.

It may well be that we would have to make that compromise of our

-coming here and finding a smaller property.

-Yeah, and I'm up for that,

-but I'm just...yeah.

-Yeah.

Mixed emotions for Leah.

The house had made a good impression on Andrew,

but wasn't quite as spacious as she'd hoped.

Could they have afforded it, anyway, on their £280,000 budget?

-OK, Marlee, read it.

-We'll get Marlee to read it.

Right, Marlee. What's it worth, then?

369,000.

-Wow.

-For that money, you would probably get something a bit bigger

with a bigger garden and so, that's been a bit of an eye-opener for me.

It was a disappointing start for Leah.

At £253,000, this house was under budget,

but just not the right size.

Could property two lift her spirits?

It was in Greenwith, a quiet middle-class suburb

slightly further out of the city centre.

With four bedrooms, was this house more what Leah had in mind?

Oh, my gosh, I think this is our house.

It's beautiful, isn't it? Wow.

I like this. It seems really open.

I really like this room.

I think I've been sold on this house just from the outside, so

everything else is a bonus.

-It's like he's home already.

-Leah was impressed.

-This is nice out here, isn't it?

-This is huge.

-Big, isn't it?

It's such a fantastic area for you, Marlee, isn't it?

-This is a good area for the kids, isn't it?

-I really like it.

-Right, so shall we just buy it now?

-Yes.

-Yes.

-OK.

-Are we not going to have a look at the rest of the place first?

-No.

No, OK, just buy it. Right, come on, then.

It looked like this house was a hit with everyone.

And there was more to come.

-Mum, this would be good for you.

-LEAH SIGHS

-Oh, my gosh.

-What's in here?

-This is...

-Daddy...

-..like, the working area.

-Oh!

-Wow, this is really good, isn't it?

-This is, like, this is my dream.

-Oh, well.

-It's a nice bathroom, isn't it?

-Yeah, I'm sold.

-There's a lot of space.

-Do you like it?

-I do like it, yes.

So, shall we find out how much it's worth?

Oh, yeah, let's do that bit, then.

-This is the scary part, now.

-Yeah.

This house had certainly put a smile back on Leah's face,

but did the price wipe it off again?

Just remember, though, we still have to sell our own place

back in the UK, which we don't know the value of yet, OK? It would all

depend on what I could secure or what we both could secure work-wise.

So let's both have an open mind.

-Let's have an open mind.

-OK, darling.

510,000.

That was £70,000 over their

potential £280,000 budget.

That doesn't seem too bad to me, though.

Cos I'm looking at the pounds, £350,000.

Well, it's £100,000 more than the last house.

Yeah, but look at the size of the

-property that we got.

-You're getting a lot more house for it. You're

-getting a far better setting outside.

-So, we're getting it?

-Erm, no, not at the moment, Marlee.

-LEAH CHUCKLES

But there's hope that we might.

This house had everything the family were looking for,

but if Andrew didn't find the right job prospects,

it could have remained beyond their reach.

Last stop of the day was a newly-built

estate on the outskirts of Adelaide.

Blakes Crossing was still under construction,

so the family viewed the show house.

Did it offer the space they wanted at the right price?

-Wow. This is huge.

-It's good, isn't it?

-Just looking at one room.

-Have you found your room?

-Yeah.

This large family home boasted several open-plan areas, a study

and five bedrooms, plenty of room for overseas guests, and more.

-A window out to the pool.

-Wow.

-Wow.

-Wow.

-I can see you in that, doing your laps.

-Yes.

Yes, that would be cool.

But Andrew had his sensible hat on.

This is a new-build, so nobody's been in here before.

If you've not got all the decor, and you've not got the finished garden,

and there's lots of work to do.

This has obviously got a bit of work into

making this place look like this.

-You're being negative.

-I'm not being negative, I like this, it's nice.

This house had the wow factor, but was it within their £280,000 budget?

I think this one is probably about 600,000.

-What did you reckon it was?

-600.

-OK.

Right. Do you want to go and have a look then, Marlee?

-£599,000.

-Oh, I was pretty close.

It was almost 50%

more than their budget.

So, that's a lot of money.

That's double the house that we've got.

The price, it's just beyond, I think, what we could

dream of paying at the moment. A beautiful, beautiful property,

and I wish we could afford it, cos I think I could definitely live here.

But it's just, based on my current salary,

that's just not going to happen.

It had been an interesting day

on the property hunt.

The first house was within budget, but too small.

Property two had been everything Leah had hoped for,

even though it would have put a strain on

the cheque book.

And the final house had

captured everyone's imagination,

but to achieve it,

the family would have had to increase their income massively.

So, when it came to property, had Andrew been sold on Australia?

So, based on the houses that we've seen today,

we're going to vote for...

-The UK.

-The UK.

-Australia.

I didn't want to go for the UK

because I really want to come to Australia,

but just based on the houses that we've seen today

and based on the salary that we have back in the UK, I don't think

we can, ideally, purchase any of those houses comfortably.

There's still a lot of doubt there, but certainly,

based on what I've seen today, erm, yeah, UK.

It was far from the start Leah had been hoping for.

Her vote for the UK went against everything she'd ever wanted.

The reality of Adelaide's property prices meant the couple's

work prospects were now vital,

if she was to be within shouting distance of keeping her dream alive.

As the main breadwinner,

finding the right job for Andrew down under was

crucial for a move to work financially and, for him,

it would be tough to top the job satisfaction

he was enjoying as a technical manager back home.

I have been with the same employer for 19 years.

Erm, very, very loyal employee and

once I'm there, I like to stay put.

It's not everybody who can say that they enjoy their job, but I do,

I do like my job, and I would really miss that.

Leah was all too aware how much was riding on Andrew's

job prospects in Adelaide.

You know, if I didn't love him so much

and we didn't have our life together,

I would have gone a long time ago, because I am homesick, and that's

where I want to be, but I really believe in him and

I think that if he gets something, it'll help.

With the children looked after by a childminder,

the couple set off to explore their work opportunities.

Leah was hoping to start up her own photography business,

so she met up with local professional, Miriam.

Meanwhile, Andrew headed off to an IT company,

to get the lowdown on potential jobs from Nick, a senior manager.

He was anxious to know if he could find a similar role to what

he did in the UK.

We have a team of network engineers who maintain the

operation of the network.

Certainly the depth of experience, managing a large team,

complex products, various suppliers

and technologies is something that we would find very appealing.

OK. That's good to hear.

Great news for Andrew.

How was Leah getting on?

So, in Adelaide, what do you think are the opportunities

for family photography?

Adelaide is a very friendly, welcoming family town,

so there's a lot of young families with children here.

Really, it's just the perfect job for a mum.

What would you think you would be charging

families for an hour's session?

200 for an hour's shoot for one person,

and then I'd charge 30 per extra person.

So a family of four would be 290.

The figures sounded good.

For Leah, a life down under could have been tantalisingly near.

It's just so close, you know? I can feel that, and it's so...

it's here, but now the apprehension's coming back

because I know it doesn't rely on that.

Our moving to Australia isn't reliant on me getting a job,

it's Andrew getting a job.

So, now I have to wait to see what he's going to find out today.

Would Andrew deliver the news she was desperate to hear?

Everything depended on his job prospects.

We actually do have a vacancy for a Network Operations Manager

which may or may not be suitable.

-We should talk further, I think...

-Wow, OK.

-..about that.

Wow.

Very surprised you saying that just now. It kind of threw me.

For a senior management job with your skills and experience,

as we've gone through, I'd be comfortable,

sort of, pitching you towards the 110, 120,000 base salary...

-Wow, OK.

-..which, in Adelaide,

is more or less enough to comfortably support

a decent lifestyle, sun-drenched, all that sort of stuff.

Was this a turning point for Andrew?

After sort of discovering what I've discovered here,

and that I could be actually on a better salary than

I'm on in the UK, erm, it makes this whole thing

a definite possibility.

It was time to put Leah out of her misery.

It was a very, very interesting afternoon.

-It went very well for me.

-Really?

-Surprisingly well, yes.

To the point where he said, "We've got a job here for you right now..."

-What?!

-.."if you would like to apply for it."

-What?

-And have me in for an interview.

-And what did you say?

Um, I says, "Well, I'm very interested, yes."

-I'm so happy...

-You've done well, yourself, so...

So, had Andrew heard enough to sway his vote?

So, we're going to vote for...

-Australia.

-Australia.

Things were looking up for Leah.

Are you really happy?

It's amazing when you look at the internet,

or you look anywhere else, you never see the jobs.

But when you actually go and speak to people,

you suddenly find out that they've got jobs.

With Andrew's first vote for Australia, it looked like

he could be finally coming round to the possibility of emigrating.

So would a taste of the local lifestyle bring Leah yet another

step closer to home?

Back in the UK,

the Clanahans shared a passion for visiting old castles and estates.

So, down under, they spent the day roaming the grounds of Carrick Hill,

one of Adelaide's few surviving period homes.

It was a chance for the family to reflect on what life could be like.

The kids have definitely enjoyed today.

What's good about it, I think, is

probably the weather more than anything else.

Well, yeah, I've seen big changes in Andrew. I mean,

today I've seen him jump in a sack and I've never seen him

do anything like that before.

Um, so,

you know, I think it brings out the best in him, being over here.

Everyone's thoughts are turned towards the future.

It's been an interesting week for me, emotion-wise,

and certainly, after going to an employer yesterday and finding out

the...how likely it is that I could find employment here.

That makes a big difference.

We have a lonely existence in the UK.

We have a bit more of a lifestyle environment in Australia.

I can just see my children flourish already, you know?

Even today, watching them run around and roll down hills and...

I haven't seen them be that happy for months.

I think my mum's lonely because she doesn't get anybody to talk to

when I'm at school and my dad's at work.

I think it would be different in Australia because some of her

family don't work and she'd be able to see them every day.

So, based on their potential lifestyle,

did the family vote for the UK or Australia?

Based on our lovely day here today, we're going to vote for...

ALL: Australia!

Um, it's not that back home

we don't get good times outside as well, it's just

they tend to be limited. Here, I think there would be more of them

and that's the reason why I've gone for this today.

A unanimous vote for the Australian lifestyle was a

great result for Leah.

But it was now time to find out if they could afford it.

We'd provided a comparison of costs between the UK and Australia.

-They began with the weekly food shop.

-So...

-..bacon, UK, £1.64, here, £4.63.

-Four dollars. Oh, four pounds...

-£4.63, it's been converted.

-Oh, gosh.

Here's something that's cheaper here. Battered fish.

-We eat quite a lot of that cos Brodie likes it.

-Yes.

Baby wipes. UK cost for a packet of three, £1.83, over here, £5.76.

-Yeah, I thought the baby stuffs were expensive.

-Big difference.

So how did the weekly shop add up?

-It's £43.16 more expensive here.

-OK.

£43 a week wasn't going to break the bank.

But what about the bigger outgoings?

House prices in Adelaide had been an eye-opener for the Clanahans,

but taking Andrew's potential increase in earnings

down under into consideration, could they make it work?

By living in Australia,

-we're going to be getting an extra £20,000 a year.

-Yeah.

That's amazing.

You can get a lot for £20,000, I suppose.

-That figure alone is just based on your salary.

-Yes.

So, whatever I could make

and bring to the household would be an extra bonus.

-That could be our holiday money.

-Absolutely.

-It could be anything.

A lot of money.

The figures were good, but were they good enough to convince Andrew?

We're going to vote for...

-Australia.

-Australia.

I think we would actually just have such a fantastic life out here,

-based on all that so...

-I think we would have a very comfortable

lifestyle here, and certainly, probably any of these houses

we saw the other day we could probably afford.

After another great result,

an evening spent with Leah's family was the icing on the cake,

but while Andrew's financial concerns may have been addressed,

he knew family was at the real heart of the dilemma the couple faced.

It's difficult because, obviously, we've both got family

on each side of the world,

and if I leave the UK, then I'm leaving my family behind

that I very much care for, and don't want to do that.

Leah felt the time had come for her to be reunited with her family.

In the beginning, the first few years, I danced around

supporting him and, you know, just thinking of his feelings 100%

and putting my own homesickness in the background.

And I think having children changes that because being pregnant

and having no-one around you, going to hospital and having a baby

and no-one coming to visit you, you know, it's a sad time,

and no-one wants that. Everyone wants their family around them.

And Andrew was all too aware of how much rested on his decision.

If it's UK, then that's going to be shattering for her

and for her mum as well, you know,

because her mum wants us, desperately, to move out here.

Um, in the same respects, it's going to be the same for the people

back in Scotland as well, because, if we say it's Australia,

then it's a toughie with my mum and sister as well.

The couple had been avoiding having to

choose between their families for as long as they had been together.

You know, I think our relationship for the last few years has been

affected by this because he's not wanted to come over here

and I have, and there's that pulling all the time.

You know, he wants to be one place

and I want to be the other place, so for us to have come and experienced

this and worked out what we could and what we could not,

to then just be... End result, "No, we're staying in the UK."

I think I'm going to be really upset.

The trial week had seen Andrew overcome his financial

and work concerns, but he still faced, possibly, his biggest hurdle.

While Brodie was looked after by a childminder,

the rest of the family sat down to watch a DVD of messages from home.

Hi, Andrew. Hi, Leah, Marlee and Brodie.

Hope your trip's going really, really well.

Well, I hope you're having a wonderful time,

and I hope you all like it.

The best way to describe them - they are noisy,

hardworking,

and just great people to be with.

Erm, as a family, they're just a lovely couple. You know,

they would do anything for anybody.

She's the sort of person that, if I had had a sister,

'I would have wanted her as my sister.'

-ALL:

-Aw.

'You know, she's just a lovely, lovely girl. She's so caring.'

She's shy, she's a great mum,

a great photographer,

um, a good friend.

Andrew as a brother, he's just a lovely guy to have as your brother.

Somebody that, you know, without him in my life,

would just be pretty bad, yeah.

Obviously, I'll miss them, very much so, and the children growing up.

As you say, there's still Skype and videos and stuff, you know,

but it's not the same. If they do go away, well, they'll have her family.

I can see that.

-I've never heard her say that before.

-No.

Since my dad died eight years ago, you know, Andrew, Mum

and I, and Leah, the four of us just became so, so close.

I think, you know, we've just always been there

for each other, no matter what, um, that's...

I think when faced with that

"It's going to happen", that's just going to be so difficult,

so upsetting.

Whatever you decide, it'll be the right thing for you,

your family, and us, but we'll miss you.

I know that if you do stay, it's going to be a far better life

for all of you, and especially for the kids growing up, um...

Yeah...

I can't say any more.

It's just, you know, you feel pulled in both directions.

It's just hard, when you see it like that on screen, though.

Yeah, I know.

I'd really miss my uncle and my aunties.

I know it's hard.

For Leah, the trial week was the best shot she'd ever

had at persuading Andrew to move down under.

As the final vote approached,

she was still unsure where her destiny lay.

I don't know if there's a calling inside you, of where you're

born, and you want to return to that place. Whatever it was, I had it.

So, this whole week, has, you know, that's going to give me

what I need to know.

Am I coming home or not?

Definitely a massive decision. I do feel pressured.

Um, Leah doesn't want to pressure me.

She definitely doesn't want to do that, but she can't help doing it.

Everything relies on the decision that Andrew makes.

That's a hard thing for me to say,

because... What's going to happen if he says no?

If I do make the decision to come to Australia,

it's going to be hard saying goodbye to my family,

the loved ones, you know?

It's people I've known all my life.

If we have more children,

there's no way we can take our whole family to Australia every year, so

I'll then have to look at the reality that I'll be home,

maybe once every five years and...

People are going to die. People are going to get married.

There's going to be more babies in the family

that I'm going to miss out on.

Cos that's my biggest worry, that I'm missing everything over here.

So, when it came to the final turn of the cards,

had Leah done enough to convince Andrew to bring her home?

ALL: Australia!

-Is that real?

-Yeah.

-Are you really 100%?

Yeah. I'm happy.

-It's just the work's still...

-Yeah, the work, I know.

..is a big risk. Everything else seems to have fallen into place.

-We'll just have to see where the road takes us.

-Absolutely.

It looks like a good road.

Yay!

It had been an emotional roller-coaster of a week

for the Clanahans,

but it looked like Australia had worked its magic

and Leah's wish had finally been granted.

So, two years after we last saw them,

have the family made the move to the other side of the world?

It's 2015 and the Clanahans,

now a family of five,

are living in...

Lauder, in Scotland.

Their trial week down under had opened Andrew's eyes

to the possibility of a life in Australia.

To actually have a week out and actually do things

specific to us with the idea of moving to Australia,

it was fantastic. Really, really good week.

All the sort of worries that he had I think were answered,

so the trial week for me worked out really well in my favour,

and it's the best I could've hoped for.

Finding out how much he could earn down under

had laid Andrew's financial concerns to rest.

Totally changed my whole perspective towards Australia,

because I thought there'd be no way

we could actually afford to go there.

When he voted for Australia at the end of the week,

it looked like it was all systems go.

I was excited.

I mean, I was already picking houses out in my mind

and working out how to pack all our stuff in Scotland.

I was, like, really happy and excited

thinking that we were going to move

and see all our family every day.

It was great to actually get to the end of that trial week

and say, "Right, next step, Australia."

It appeared a move could be happening

faster than the family thought when the company Andrew had met

during the trial week invited him for an interview.

It was a very, very positive interview,

to the point where,

"When you start, you'll be doing this and you'll be doing that,"

and I honestly thought I had got the job,

and that changed my whole vision from that point.

We left Australia on a high,

thinking that we'd achieved what we'd set out to do.

Saying goodbye to her family wasn't the usual tear-fest for Leah.

Even my uncle was, like, high-fiving me on the side,

like, "See you soon."

On the plane back to Scotland,

it was all sort of forward thinking of, "What do we do next?"

It was sort of like he had already got the job.

The couple returned to Scotland

convinced it was just a matter of time

before they returned down under.

I was waiting on a call when I came back here

and thought that was us, and if I'd have got that news,

then we would've just packed up and went.

Then the waiting game began.

I was making him check his e-mail every hour.

Had we missed it?

It was even a case of, like, checking the phone,

if it was working.

-And they made us wait quite a bit, didn't they?

-Mm.

After a tense ten days, word finally came through.

One morning I woke up

and there's this e-mail sat waiting for me.

But it wasn't the news Andrew had been expecting.

In the end, the company had decided to recruit someone internally.

That was hard, and then I had to sort of break it to Leah,

"I've heard something and it's not good news."

And, yeah, that was quite hard.

Leah was devastated.

You know, you were given this sort of hope

and then it was quickly taken away.

She very much saw it as this was going to happen,

so it was terrible when we found out that it wasn't going to happen.

It was a crushing blow for Andrew.

I think it knocked Andrew's confidence quite a lot.

I mean, he would never say so, but I think he thought, you know,

it was a winning thing the whole time,

and then it stopped, and I think he felt a little bit...

I don't know, deflated?

It definitely left me deflated afterwards.

Andrew believes he lost out because he didn't have a visa,

but he's been reluctant to apply for one

without the offer of a job down under.

I don't think you get a lot of change out of about £4,000,

and you've got to start using it within a certain amount of time,

so it's almost a case of getting this visa

and then just going whether you've got a job or not.

But then the catch-22 kind of comes in because

I've got to support the family,

and if I'm not able to support them, what do we do?

And that's a real stopping point for me.

But Leah believes it's a risk worth taking.

And it just comes down to the same thing every time,

is that we just have to take a chance.

Do we do it or...?

Marlee and Brodie are on Mum's side.

For us to move, I think my dad needs to say yes to go and,

like, just agree with it.

I really, really want to move to Australia.

Disappointed but not defeated,

Leah is refusing to relinquish her dream.

Every night when I come home from work,

it's almost guaranteed there'll be some mention of Australia

within about the first 15 minutes of walking in the door,

so it's definitely not been put on the back burner.

I want to make her happy.

That's the one thing I know that would make her happy,

so it's definitely something we're still pursuing.

The drive for down under dominated family life

until in November 2013...

In amongst all the sort of Australia stuff,

Leah fell pregnant.

It was a time of mixed emotions for Leah.

It was sort of a happy time but it was a sad time

because happy that we were having another little baby,

but sad because in the back of my head it was like,

"Five people going to Australia is never going to happen."

And then she lost the baby, and then that was really hard.

It was a very, very difficult time.

-It's kind of stopped us a little bit in our tracks with Australia.

-Mm.

Yeah. It's very difficult.

But the miscarriage had convinced Leah

she really did want another child.

When she fell pregnant again a year later,

thoughts of home resurfaced stronger than ever.

I really wanted my last child to be born in Australia.

I wanted to experience that feeling of being pregnant

with all my family around me.

The drive for me to go back to Australia

really became paramount.

Like, I wanted to get back home,

and...it didn't happen like that, so...

With Leah feeling down,

the couple's relationship suffered too.

I get a bit low when I'm pregnant,

just because I'm away from everybody and...

-And I get it tighter then.

-You get it tighter. Yeah, you do.

He probably gets a lot of abuse from me,

and a lot of love as well,

but...it's quite hard to go through all that with...

without your family around you.

It's hard for her, and again, I just want to support and be there.

Tilly Clanahan arrived in June 2015.

It was like she had always been part of our little family,

and there's always been a place for her.

At first, Marlee had doubts about the new arrival.

I was sort of, like, anxious

because I thought that my mum wouldn't spend as much time

with me any more and that Tilly would just get in the way,

but when Tilly was born, I was really happy,

and now that she's here, it's fun to be with her.

Brodie is delighted with the new addition to the family.

My little sister Tilly is funny, she's pretty and she makes smiles.

TILLY CRIES

Well, most of the time, that is.

I don't like Tilly when she cries and burps.

-OVER SPEAKERS:

-'Oh! She's smiling!'

Finally!

Leah was delighted when her mum flew to Scotland to help with the baby.

It was great.

I got some wonderful photos of her playing with the kids

and spending time with them before Tilly arrived.

But the visit was short-lived.

When her mum returned to Australia,

Leah was once more plunged into despair.

You're on this massive high cos you've got everyone around you,

and then they're just ripped away and you have no-one.

-Mm.

-So...

Having Tilly has strengthened Leah's resolve to make the move.

It's almost like we're complete now and now is the time to go.

The reason to relocate is further reinforced

by the fear Marlee may soon outgrow the move.

She's creating her network here, you know.

She's got her environment and her friends, and...

to take her away from that now seems really upsetting to her.

Whereas to me, it's upsetting not to have her involved

in an Australian life, so I guess the younger they are,

it's easier to relocate them.

But with Andrew's hectic work schedule,

there's little time for making plans.

Andrew's taking a lot more on at work. He doesn't switch off.

You know, we hardly see him.

He leaves at seven, comes home at seven.

And I always start thinking, "I need to start pursuing this."

What you find is I'm generally that tired

from all the different things I'm doing with my work

that it generally just doesn't happen.

And with three children in tow,

Leah is also finding it difficult to move things forward.

Children become your routine and routine becomes your life,

and the calling to go home and the homesickness doesn't go away,

but it's kind of just replaced with everyday life.

As time goes on, Leah is becoming more and more frustrated.

I worry that I'm getting resentful.

I worry that I'm changing.

I don't feel like I'm the same Aussie girl

that got on a plane, like, 12 years ago.

There's always that desire to go back home,

so I find it really frustrating that...

he just won't take a chance.

I suspect that if I didn't have the kids,

it was just the two of us, I wouldn't be so bothered about it.

I've got to continue to provide,

and the thought of being out of employment,

that's probably what really puts me off.

A surprise gift from down under

has recently breathed new life into Leah's dream.

My family have been wanting to see the baby,

so my auntie and uncle have paid for us to come over

at Christmas time.

So, Tilly will get to experience her first Australian Christmas,

and it's also an opportunity for us to bring some sort of closure

to the Australian dream,

to try and see if it is a possibility,

and if it's not, then we need to start...

..I don't know, making a life in Scotland for good.

Strong emotional ties on both sides of the world

have Leah torn.

When you're homesick, it never goes away.

"Do I go home?

"Do I be selfish and break our family up

"and take the kids back with me?"

I think about that a lot,

and the one thing that stops that is Andrew.

I would never do that to him, and I don't want to leave him.

And I'm not going to force him to go either,

so I guess I just have to hope that he sees what I see.

We both want the same thing. The goal is the same.

Both definitely on the same paths,

but my path is maybe just slightly slower because I want to make sure

that I'm not taking a massive jump into not having employment.

Andrew may be ruled by his head,

but in his heart he knows where he wants his family to be.

I remember the first time I went out to Australia.

I very quickly saw kids out playing.

Over there, there seems to be a big outside lifestyle there,

and I thought, "I would love my kids to grow up in that."

For Leah, the trip home could be her last chance

of turning her dream into reality.

Six o'clock and the sun was going down

and it was beautiful and it was warm,

and we were sat on the beach

and Andrew was running around and running in the water

and I was photographing them all.

You know, it was like that's how life was supposed to be,

and it was almost like we got a taste of it

and I got to see what it would be like.

And, you know, that would just be my dream moment,

to experience something like that again.

After two years of trying,

Leah has yet to achieve the results she wanted,

but an impending trip down under could be all that's needed

to seal the deal.

On whichever side of the world they go on to call home,

we wish the Clanahans the very best for the future.