0:00:02 > 0:00:03If your job meant never seeing
0:00:03 > 0:00:05the people you loved,
0:00:05 > 0:00:07how far would you go
0:00:07 > 0:00:09for the family life you dreamt of?
0:00:09 > 0:00:13In 2011, the Stitt family had to decide if the answer
0:00:13 > 0:00:16lay on the other side of the world.
0:00:16 > 0:00:19Four years on, we'll find out if they made the leap
0:00:19 > 0:00:22and moved to Australia.
0:00:22 > 0:00:24The Stitts were desperate for a new life...
0:00:24 > 0:00:27I just don't want in ten years' time for my children to turn around
0:00:27 > 0:00:29and say, "Daddy, who are you?"
0:00:29 > 0:00:31..but it would come at a high price.
0:00:31 > 0:00:33That's what we have to give up,
0:00:33 > 0:00:38and that to me is a huge, huge stumbling block.
0:00:38 > 0:00:42Today, we'll discover which side of the world the family now call home.
0:00:42 > 0:00:43We were happy.
0:00:43 > 0:00:46We'd made the decision and we're sticking to it and that was it.
0:01:07 > 0:01:09Australia's the most popular destination
0:01:09 > 0:01:11for Brits emigrating abroad,
0:01:11 > 0:01:14with nearly 35,000 of us tempted each year
0:01:14 > 0:01:17by the promise of a better life down under.
0:01:17 > 0:01:19However, many find the grass isn't greener
0:01:19 > 0:01:21on the other side of the world
0:01:21 > 0:01:24and almost half return to the UK.
0:01:25 > 0:01:29In 2011, the Stitt family spent a week
0:01:29 > 0:01:32experiencing the reality of life in Australia.
0:01:32 > 0:01:36At the end of it, they faced a huge decision -
0:01:36 > 0:01:40whether to stay in the UK or make the move for good.
0:01:40 > 0:01:43Today, four years after their trial week,
0:01:43 > 0:01:46we'll find out if the family's Australian dream
0:01:46 > 0:01:48has become a reality.
0:01:51 > 0:01:54The Stitt's week in Perth in 2011
0:01:54 > 0:01:57began with a gruelling 20-hour flight.
0:01:57 > 0:02:01It had given Corinne plenty of time for second thoughts.
0:02:01 > 0:02:03I am just thinking, what if we don't like it?
0:02:03 > 0:02:05What are we going to do?
0:02:05 > 0:02:09Is our situation so bad that we have to leave Northern Ireland?
0:02:09 > 0:02:13Despite the nerves, the couple were looking forward to the week ahead.
0:02:13 > 0:02:15- Nice for us to spend a bit of time together...- Yes, yes.
0:02:15 > 0:02:17- ..as a family.- Yeah.
0:02:17 > 0:02:19Cos we don't get a lot of that family time together,
0:02:19 > 0:02:22so it's an opportunity for us to be together and...
0:02:22 > 0:02:25- SHE GIGGLES - ..see how that works out.
0:02:32 > 0:02:34Four years ago, Eric, Corinne,
0:02:34 > 0:02:36and their daughters, Jodie, then aged nine,
0:02:36 > 0:02:38and Madison, who was five,
0:02:38 > 0:02:40were living in Bangor in Northern Ireland.
0:02:40 > 0:02:43The setting provided them with a lifestyle they loved.
0:02:43 > 0:02:45Both Eric and I are born and bred in Northern Ireland,
0:02:45 > 0:02:48and we're very proud to be Northern Irish.
0:02:48 > 0:02:50We have a lot going on here.
0:02:50 > 0:02:53We do love where we live - we live in a very nice area.
0:02:53 > 0:02:56We're so close to the school the kids go to.
0:02:56 > 0:03:00We've been able to provide the girls lots of opportunities for things.
0:03:00 > 0:03:03But the Stitts were considering giving all that up
0:03:03 > 0:03:05for a new life in Australia.
0:03:05 > 0:03:08Eric's work was tearing the family apart.
0:03:10 > 0:03:15In a month, Eric would be away for two or three weeks at a time.
0:03:15 > 0:03:17He's home for the weekend,
0:03:17 > 0:03:22and he would have one full day erm, with us,
0:03:22 > 0:03:25and in that stage, everything is rushed into the full day,
0:03:25 > 0:03:28and then, the next day, Eric's away off to the airport
0:03:28 > 0:03:30and away to work,
0:03:30 > 0:03:32and it could be for another two weeks.
0:03:33 > 0:03:37Eric's absence from home had taken its toll on everyone.
0:03:37 > 0:03:40He has missed out over the years
0:03:40 > 0:03:43on those things where, really, you know, he should be there,
0:03:43 > 0:03:45and he does feel it.
0:03:45 > 0:03:50It can be very hard trying to explain to a five year old
0:03:50 > 0:03:52that, no, Daddy has to go to work,
0:03:52 > 0:03:55you have to keep a roof over your heads.
0:03:55 > 0:03:58OK. Do I get a kiss for Daddy?
0:03:58 > 0:04:00All right, give Daddy a kiss.
0:04:00 > 0:04:02Mwah!
0:04:02 > 0:04:05Eric owned his own business designing pipe systems
0:04:05 > 0:04:07for oil and gas rigs all over Europe.
0:04:08 > 0:04:09Working offshore meant
0:04:09 > 0:04:12he was missing out on his family growing up.
0:04:12 > 0:04:14I just don't want in ten years' time
0:04:14 > 0:04:17for my children to turn around and say, "Daddy, who are you?"
0:04:17 > 0:04:19or, "Where have you been?"
0:04:19 > 0:04:22- Mwah!- Aw, you behave yourself now for your mummy.- OK.
0:04:22 > 0:04:26It's vitally important that we do get our lives sorted out
0:04:26 > 0:04:31and get to spend the time together as a family that we need to.
0:04:31 > 0:04:32I'm trying not...
0:04:32 > 0:04:37- You're all right. - OK. I'll see you. Take care.
0:04:37 > 0:04:39Corinne does feel it hard sometimes.
0:04:39 > 0:04:43She has to be here 24/7 for the girls.
0:04:43 > 0:04:46Everything is on her shoulders.
0:04:46 > 0:04:48She says she feels like she's a single parent.
0:04:50 > 0:04:52It's not easy for her, and I do appreciate that.
0:04:54 > 0:04:56The Stitts were looking to Australia
0:04:56 > 0:04:59to give them their dream of a normal family life.
0:04:59 > 0:05:03They hoped its booming oil industry would mean Eric could find a job
0:05:03 > 0:05:06which would allow him to spend more time at home.
0:05:06 > 0:05:10We're just hoping for a lifestyle that's you work to live,
0:05:10 > 0:05:13you don't live to work.
0:05:13 > 0:05:15The girls could see the benefits.
0:05:15 > 0:05:19We would like to go to Australia. Wouldn't we?
0:05:19 > 0:05:21Yeah.
0:05:21 > 0:05:25It would be fun to spend some time with Dad and everything.
0:05:25 > 0:05:30- And he'll help us with our homework.- Yeah!
0:05:30 > 0:05:32But if the Stitts did move down under,
0:05:32 > 0:05:35they were aware of how much they stood to lose.
0:05:37 > 0:05:39We are quite a close family.
0:05:39 > 0:05:41It's very daunting, I suppose, sometimes
0:05:41 > 0:05:45just to think that you're going to be on the other side of the world,
0:05:45 > 0:05:49that you're not going to be there when they need you.
0:05:56 > 0:05:58The Stitts spent their trial week in Perth,
0:05:58 > 0:06:01where much of Australia's oil and gas industry's based.
0:06:02 > 0:06:05Home for their trial week was a three-bedroom cottage
0:06:05 > 0:06:07just five minutes from Fremantle Beach.
0:06:11 > 0:06:13Everything's here that we need.
0:06:13 > 0:06:17It's really nice and it's clean and it's modern
0:06:17 > 0:06:21with that sort of shabby chic-y twist to it.
0:06:21 > 0:06:22Corinne and Eric were aware
0:06:22 > 0:06:25how much was resting on the next seven days.
0:06:25 > 0:06:27I really want it to go well,
0:06:27 > 0:06:31for this to be a really positive experience for us.
0:06:31 > 0:06:35Otherwise, we're going to be down the road in another ten years' time
0:06:35 > 0:06:37and just wonder what we've done with ourselves.
0:06:37 > 0:06:40A lot really does ride on it.
0:06:40 > 0:06:42Though they were hoping for a future in Australia,
0:06:42 > 0:06:46they also knew choosing it could have huge repercussions.
0:06:46 > 0:06:50I worry that if I really, really do like it,
0:06:50 > 0:06:55that...people at home are going to be a bit...
0:06:55 > 0:06:56There's a sense of guilt.
0:06:56 > 0:06:58Actually being here now brings home to you
0:06:58 > 0:07:02- just maybe how big a decision it would be...- Mm-hm.
0:07:02 > 0:07:03..to make the move.
0:07:03 > 0:07:07This is a serious decision for us. This is...
0:07:07 > 0:07:10If we like this, we're coming out here -
0:07:10 > 0:07:11we're not hanging about.
0:07:18 > 0:07:22In 2011, the Stitts were living in a three-bedroom house
0:07:22 > 0:07:24in Bangor, in Northern Ireland,
0:07:24 > 0:07:25and they had plenty of thoughts
0:07:25 > 0:07:28on what their Australian home needed to deliver.
0:07:28 > 0:07:31The right sort of property would be very important.
0:07:31 > 0:07:33My dream property in Australia
0:07:33 > 0:07:38would be a pretty big house in the middle of nowhere.
0:07:38 > 0:07:40It has to have a swimming pool for the girls.
0:07:40 > 0:07:42And just somewhere where we can spread out
0:07:42 > 0:07:48and just enjoy being outdoors and just having room around us.
0:07:48 > 0:07:51That all sounded great, but it wouldn't come cheap.
0:07:51 > 0:07:55The Stitts had a budget of around £300,000.
0:07:58 > 0:08:01To give the family a taste of the Perth property market,
0:08:01 > 0:08:03we showed them three options
0:08:03 > 0:08:06based on what they wanted from their ideal home down under
0:08:06 > 0:08:08and what they could afford.
0:08:10 > 0:08:12First up was this three-bedroom house in Byford,
0:08:12 > 0:08:1420 miles south of Perth.
0:08:14 > 0:08:17Popular with young families and offering good value for money,
0:08:17 > 0:08:19what did the Stitts make of it?
0:08:21 > 0:08:23Looks like a box with windows.
0:08:23 > 0:08:25THEY GIGGLE
0:08:28 > 0:08:30Oh.
0:08:30 > 0:08:32Straight into the living room.
0:08:32 > 0:08:34It's smaller than what I thought.
0:08:34 > 0:08:36No, I don't like this at all.
0:08:36 > 0:08:38- You're not keen on coming straight in off the door.- No, no.
0:08:38 > 0:08:41It's really not what I would come out here for.
0:08:43 > 0:08:46And the garden didn't go down well either.
0:08:46 > 0:08:48Well, it's just not practical at all.
0:08:48 > 0:08:50- Not for...- No.- Not for having kids.
0:08:50 > 0:08:52Where are you going to play?
0:08:52 > 0:08:54What are they going to do...out here?
0:08:54 > 0:08:55Go round in a circle on their bikes?
0:08:55 > 0:08:58- No, that's not working for me at all.- No.
0:09:01 > 0:09:03That's a real big letdown.
0:09:03 > 0:09:05The house had been a big disappointment,
0:09:05 > 0:09:07and they still had to find out its cost.
0:09:07 > 0:09:10Was it somewhere they could even afford to call home
0:09:10 > 0:09:12with their £300,000 budget?
0:09:18 > 0:09:22- CORINNE LAUGHS - £250,000.
0:09:22 > 0:09:24It may have been £50,000 under budget,
0:09:24 > 0:09:26but Corinne still wasn't buying.
0:09:26 > 0:09:30There needs to be a wee bit of reality on that,
0:09:30 > 0:09:35cos this house is not worth £250,000 of anybody's money.
0:09:35 > 0:09:38Things weren't great for the Stitts so far.
0:09:38 > 0:09:40If this property wasn't worth considering,
0:09:40 > 0:09:43would the house of their dreams be beyond their means?
0:09:45 > 0:09:48Property number two was in the small town of Baldivis.
0:09:50 > 0:09:53Close to shops, restaurants and the beach,
0:09:53 > 0:09:56was this four-bedroom house more up their street?
0:09:56 > 0:09:58OK.
0:09:58 > 0:09:59Ah.
0:10:00 > 0:10:03- Ah, you see, this has a hall. - This is better.
0:10:03 > 0:10:05This is nice. This has a nice feel about it.
0:10:05 > 0:10:06Yeah. This is better.
0:10:06 > 0:10:09It's open plan, but it works a lot better than that other property.
0:10:09 > 0:10:10It's a bigger area.
0:10:10 > 0:10:15With much more space, the interior of this house was more pleasing.
0:10:15 > 0:10:16But stepping out into the garden...
0:10:16 > 0:10:18Aw, it's like...
0:10:18 > 0:10:22- Hm?- Aw, that... I'd pull my hair out.
0:10:22 > 0:10:25- That's like the...- Peace wall. - That's like a peace wall.
0:10:27 > 0:10:29- Er...- No.- It's a wee bit...
0:10:29 > 0:10:32The house is nice. This here is a big no-no.
0:10:34 > 0:10:36It's not my dream.
0:10:36 > 0:10:41It's not really not my idea of living the Australian dream.
0:10:41 > 0:10:44It's... No, it doesn't do it for me. I'm sorry.
0:10:49 > 0:10:50Can we go?
0:10:50 > 0:10:53It may have seemed like an extreme reaction,
0:10:53 > 0:10:54but it was a painful reminder of
0:10:54 > 0:10:57something they were trying to leave behind.
0:10:57 > 0:11:01It reminds us both of a boundary wall in Belfast
0:11:01 > 0:11:03called the peace wall,
0:11:03 > 0:11:07which separates two communities in Belfast.
0:11:08 > 0:11:09It's there to keep people apart.
0:11:09 > 0:11:11I'm not coming to Western Australia to look at that
0:11:11 > 0:11:15- or be reminded of it, thanks very much.- No.
0:11:15 > 0:11:18Although the garden was a definite no-go,
0:11:18 > 0:11:21the rest of the house had been a hit with the family,
0:11:21 > 0:11:22but was it somewhere they could afford
0:11:22 > 0:11:25on their £300,000 budget?
0:11:28 > 0:11:31315,000.
0:11:32 > 0:11:37It's probably overvalued at 315,000.
0:11:39 > 0:11:41Well, basing it and comparing it to...
0:11:41 > 0:11:44Comparing it to what I would get at home, yeah.
0:11:44 > 0:11:46But I certainly would not pay it for here.
0:11:46 > 0:11:48- It's not giving you what you're looking for.- No.
0:11:48 > 0:11:50As if the wall wasn't enough,
0:11:50 > 0:11:52the house was at the top of their budget.
0:11:52 > 0:11:54If this was the best they could buy,
0:11:54 > 0:11:56would Eric and Corinne have to
0:11:56 > 0:11:57rethink their future?
0:11:58 > 0:12:00Everything rested on the last house.
0:12:06 > 0:12:08Property three in Secret Harbour
0:12:08 > 0:12:10was only a few minutes' walk from the beach
0:12:10 > 0:12:13but nearly 40 miles south of Perth.
0:12:13 > 0:12:15The Stitts could have got more for their money here,
0:12:15 > 0:12:18but it would mean a long commute for Eric.
0:12:18 > 0:12:20Oh, this is really...swanky, isn't it?
0:12:20 > 0:12:23- This is better.- Yeah, this is nice.
0:12:23 > 0:12:24Which way do we go?
0:12:24 > 0:12:30- Er... Follow Daddy!- Go this way? - Yes.- Go this way.
0:12:30 > 0:12:33- Master bedroom...- Yeah.- ..I think.
0:12:33 > 0:12:34Aw, that's lovely.
0:12:34 > 0:12:36- That's beautiful. - That's really nice.
0:12:36 > 0:12:38The decor as well is really nice.
0:12:38 > 0:12:42And that looks like an en-suite.
0:12:42 > 0:12:45- Oh, wow.- Ooh. - CORINNE LAUGHS
0:12:45 > 0:12:49- That's bigger than our bathroom at home.- Probably is.
0:12:49 > 0:12:50After a bad start to the day,
0:12:50 > 0:12:54this house had certainly lifted Corinne and Eric's spirits.
0:12:54 > 0:12:56- Wow. - THEY LAUGH
0:12:56 > 0:12:58- I like this.- Wow factor there.
0:12:58 > 0:13:00Yeah, this is what I'm talking about.
0:13:03 > 0:13:05Oh!
0:13:05 > 0:13:08Mummy, are you going to get this house?
0:13:08 > 0:13:11- CORINNE LAUGHS - She is going to get it.
0:13:11 > 0:13:13Well, it ticks quite a lot of my boxes.
0:13:13 > 0:13:15Well, it's ticking all the boxes so far.
0:13:17 > 0:13:20Madison seemed to have made her mind up already,
0:13:20 > 0:13:21but the best was yet to come.
0:13:24 > 0:13:27There were no complaints about this garden.
0:13:28 > 0:13:29No tears this time.
0:13:29 > 0:13:32- ERIC CHUCKLES - Quite happy.
0:13:35 > 0:13:37Everyone loved this house,
0:13:37 > 0:13:40but they were yet to find out its price.
0:13:40 > 0:13:43If it was way above their £300,000 budget,
0:13:43 > 0:13:46Eric and Corinne's dream could be brought to a halt.
0:13:47 > 0:13:48- 400.- OK.
0:13:50 > 0:13:51Approximately 400,000.
0:13:51 > 0:13:56- Yep. I think the finish, the detail...- ..the detail there.
0:13:56 > 0:13:59..the swimming pool, that all adds up.
0:13:59 > 0:14:03They'd found the ideal house, but it was well over budget.
0:14:03 > 0:14:05Would the Stitts have to settle for less
0:14:05 > 0:14:08if they were to make the move?
0:14:08 > 0:14:12We'll have to see what I can expect, obviously, to earn.
0:14:12 > 0:14:19Yeah. It would have to take a house like this or similar standard
0:14:19 > 0:14:23for us to make the move.
0:14:25 > 0:14:27Both Eric and Corinne had come to realise
0:14:27 > 0:14:31affording their dream would need Eric to earn considerably more.
0:14:31 > 0:14:33So, when it came to properties down under,
0:14:33 > 0:14:34which way did they vote?
0:14:36 > 0:14:39Based on the houses we've looked at today
0:14:39 > 0:14:42and what we think we can get,
0:14:42 > 0:14:43our decision is...
0:14:43 > 0:14:46- ALL:- Australia!
0:14:52 > 0:14:55Back home in Northern Ireland, Eric ran his own company
0:14:55 > 0:14:58designing pipework for the oil and gas industry
0:14:58 > 0:15:02and earned £75,000 a year.
0:15:02 > 0:15:03But while the money was good,
0:15:03 > 0:15:06his job meant working away for weeks at a time.
0:15:09 > 0:15:12To get an idea of his job prospects down under,
0:15:12 > 0:15:15we arranged for Eric to meet an oil and gas recruitment consultant.
0:15:15 > 0:15:18Eric knew, though, starting again was a gamble.
0:15:18 > 0:15:22Things have been going very, very well for me. I enjoy the work.
0:15:22 > 0:15:24So, yeah, I'm worried about
0:15:24 > 0:15:28possibly leaving that behind,
0:15:28 > 0:15:31taking the plunge to...for pastures new.
0:15:33 > 0:15:36Everything could rest on Eric's interview.
0:15:36 > 0:15:38While he prepared for it,
0:15:38 > 0:15:41Corinne gave the girls a taste of Aussie life.
0:15:41 > 0:15:45- Hi, I'm Corinne.- Corinne.- Yeah. This is Jodie and Madison.
0:15:45 > 0:15:48- How you going, guys?- Good.
0:15:48 > 0:15:52And the girls didn't waste any time getting into the saddle.
0:15:54 > 0:15:55Walk on.
0:15:56 > 0:15:58Ah!
0:16:01 > 0:16:02Back in the city,
0:16:02 > 0:16:06recruitment manager Andrei Sarpe had been poring over Eric's CV.
0:16:06 > 0:16:10The positive thing is because of the industry, where it is,
0:16:10 > 0:16:12it's at a massive growth stage,
0:16:12 > 0:16:15and I think the skills that you've already got
0:16:15 > 0:16:18and the packages that you've been working with
0:16:18 > 0:16:20are very transferable to the market here.
0:16:21 > 0:16:24It was exactly what Eric had been hoping to hear.
0:16:24 > 0:16:27At the stables, Corinne's time alone with the girls
0:16:27 > 0:16:30was reminding her why their life needed to change.
0:16:30 > 0:16:34Eric misses out on a lot of the kids' day-to-day activities.
0:16:34 > 0:16:37And when he does come home from work,
0:16:37 > 0:16:39he feels absolutely wrecked.
0:16:39 > 0:16:41That's when we feel the pressure,
0:16:41 > 0:16:44we pack everything into the short time that he is home.
0:16:45 > 0:16:49And then...the routine starts again,
0:16:49 > 0:16:53and that's when the upset starts, when Eric heads off again.
0:16:55 > 0:16:59- CRYING:- I find it really difficult. I find it difficult.
0:16:59 > 0:17:02I find, emotionally, sometimes, I'm wrecked.
0:17:02 > 0:17:06My kids have to come first, my family have to come first,
0:17:06 > 0:17:12and I can't really cope much longer with the upset that it causes them.
0:17:13 > 0:17:16It was this upset that had pushed the family
0:17:16 > 0:17:19to consider emigrating to the other side of the world,
0:17:19 > 0:17:21but any move would have been pointless
0:17:21 > 0:17:24if Eric still had to work away from home.
0:17:24 > 0:17:27- Most of the work is done office-based in Perth...- Yeah.
0:17:27 > 0:17:30..and most of the companies do have facilities in the CBD,
0:17:30 > 0:17:34so it is more family-friendly compared to lot of other places.
0:17:34 > 0:17:37To get an opportunity to work in the same city,
0:17:37 > 0:17:39the same country as where my wife and children are...
0:17:39 > 0:17:42- And you get to go home every night. - I get to go home every night.
0:17:42 > 0:17:43It would be fantastic.
0:17:43 > 0:17:46That just left one big question.
0:17:46 > 0:17:48Based on the contract rules,
0:17:48 > 0:17:53what would you ballpark figure would you say? Salary potential.
0:17:53 > 0:17:57The salary ranges can start anywhere between 180
0:17:57 > 0:18:00up into the vicinities of the 300,000
0:18:00 > 0:18:02for the senior roles and the lead roles.
0:18:02 > 0:18:05Yeah. Just trying to do the sums in my head there,
0:18:05 > 0:18:08but I think that compares really favourably.
0:18:08 > 0:18:10- Certainly the news I wanted to hear.- Fantastic.
0:18:10 > 0:18:14I think those figures will go down well with my wife as well.
0:18:14 > 0:18:16- I'm sure they will. - THEY CHUCKLE
0:18:16 > 0:18:21Even the lowest possible salary was £113,000 -
0:18:21 > 0:18:2438,000 more than Eric earned at home.
0:18:24 > 0:18:27Suddenly, a future where he could be part of the family
0:18:27 > 0:18:28was looking possible.
0:18:28 > 0:18:34So, how did Eric vote on work in the UK versus Australia?
0:18:34 > 0:18:37Based on all I've been able to find out today,
0:18:37 > 0:18:39my vote goes to...
0:18:42 > 0:18:43..Australia!
0:18:49 > 0:18:51Eric's second vote for Australia
0:18:51 > 0:18:54meant the couple's dream life was one step closer.
0:18:54 > 0:18:57Now it was time to find out if they could actually afford it.
0:18:58 > 0:19:02We'd prepared a comparison of costs between Australia and the UK,
0:19:02 > 0:19:05but the figures didn't look good.
0:19:05 > 0:19:10Basically slightly more than double what it would be in the UK.
0:19:11 > 0:19:15It was a massive difference, but did Eric's higher salary
0:19:15 > 0:19:17make up for the hole in their finances?
0:19:17 > 0:19:19Right, so looking at the figures,
0:19:19 > 0:19:22- in the UK, we can get £80,000 a year.- Yeah.
0:19:22 > 0:19:25- In Australia, going in at the mid-range...- Mm-hm.
0:19:25 > 0:19:28..you're looking at £110,000 a year
0:19:28 > 0:19:32with the potential to go up another 10,000, 15,000.
0:19:32 > 0:19:37- So...- OK.- ..right away, you are £30,000 a year better off here.
0:19:37 > 0:19:40We can achieve the dream...of being together as a family,
0:19:40 > 0:19:43and, financially, we're not going to suffer.
0:19:43 > 0:19:46It's better than what we possibly thought.
0:19:50 > 0:19:52With their dream life looking achievable,
0:19:52 > 0:19:54the couple voted on living costs.
0:19:57 > 0:19:59Our vote goes to...
0:20:00 > 0:20:03- Australia!- ..Australia!
0:20:08 > 0:20:13With the finances well in the black, the dream was still on course.
0:20:13 > 0:20:16But they still had to face the emotional cost of moving.
0:20:16 > 0:20:19The family watch messages from home together.
0:20:19 > 0:20:22Let's see what everyone has to say about us back home.
0:20:23 > 0:20:26About a year and a half ago, they came to see us one night,
0:20:26 > 0:20:29and they happened to say that
0:20:29 > 0:20:32they were thinking of going to Australia
0:20:32 > 0:20:35and how did we feel about it.
0:20:35 > 0:20:39- Well, we were shocked...- Mm-hm.
0:20:39 > 0:20:41..but we understood the situation,
0:20:41 > 0:20:43we understood how they felt.
0:20:43 > 0:20:45'We'll miss sometimes having to go to school'
0:20:45 > 0:20:46to collect the kids, bring them home...
0:20:48 > 0:20:51..just doing different things in general with them.
0:20:51 > 0:20:52It'll be different
0:20:52 > 0:20:56that a family member lives over there so close to you,
0:20:56 > 0:20:57but...
0:20:58 > 0:21:01..if it helps their family life and betters...better for them,
0:21:01 > 0:21:04it'll be...it'll be good for them, you know?
0:21:04 > 0:21:06I will feel very emotional about it.
0:21:06 > 0:21:08It did affect me.
0:21:08 > 0:21:10Sometimes I try not to show it...
0:21:15 > 0:21:17..but it does.
0:21:18 > 0:21:22If they do go and if they stay,
0:21:22 > 0:21:24I know we properly said we would never fly,
0:21:24 > 0:21:26but we will try to go to see them.
0:21:28 > 0:21:31But God willing, they'll come back to see us,
0:21:31 > 0:21:34and we'll keep in touch the best we can.
0:21:36 > 0:21:39And...I just think that...
0:21:43 > 0:21:45..all the best, Son, all the best.
0:21:47 > 0:21:52Think about it, take in... Weigh pros and cons
0:21:52 > 0:21:57of what you have in Australia and what you have here at home
0:21:57 > 0:21:59and weigh out the difference
0:21:59 > 0:22:02and make the right decision for both of yous.
0:22:02 > 0:22:04We love yous. God bless.
0:22:06 > 0:22:07- CRYING:- At the end of the day,
0:22:07 > 0:22:10they understand that our quality of life just isn't there.
0:22:10 > 0:22:12Exactly.
0:22:12 > 0:22:15- And...- You know that... - ..that's the compromise.
0:22:15 > 0:22:21We're OK financially here, we're OK with the lifestyle.
0:22:21 > 0:22:25That's our compromise, that's what we have to give up.
0:22:25 > 0:22:32And that, to me, is a huge...a huge stumbling block.
0:22:32 > 0:22:34It's emotional. There's no doubt about it.
0:22:35 > 0:22:38Watching messages had been a painful reminder
0:22:38 > 0:22:40of what the family stood to lose.
0:22:40 > 0:22:43As their final decision drew closer,
0:22:43 > 0:22:46Eric and Corinne had to decide if a life down under
0:22:46 > 0:22:48was worth leaving loved ones behind.
0:22:48 > 0:22:51You can see the emotions, you can see how...
0:22:51 > 0:22:53You can see how people feel...
0:22:54 > 0:22:58..and it is, it's a significant... A significant sacrifice.
0:22:58 > 0:23:01You are walking away from your life, your established life,
0:23:01 > 0:23:06everything that you know, everything that's familiar to you,
0:23:06 > 0:23:09and there is a risk involved in that.
0:23:09 > 0:23:11We have to weigh up the pros and cons.
0:23:14 > 0:23:16And obviously, on the minus side
0:23:16 > 0:23:19is the sacrifice of leaving people behind.
0:23:19 > 0:23:25But the plus side is the opportunities and lifestyle
0:23:25 > 0:23:28that it can offer Jodie and Madison.
0:23:28 > 0:23:30At the end of an emotional week,
0:23:30 > 0:23:33it was time for the Stitts to make their final crucial vote.
0:23:33 > 0:23:36Had the promise of more time together in Australia
0:23:36 > 0:23:40been enough to overcome the pull of home and loved ones?
0:23:40 > 0:23:41We started off,
0:23:41 > 0:23:46we weren't too sure how we would fit in the Australian life...
0:23:48 > 0:23:50..but, all in all,
0:23:50 > 0:23:53we, as a family, have enjoyed our experience here in Perth.
0:23:53 > 0:23:56It's been a positive experience,
0:23:56 > 0:23:59I think we all can see that
0:23:59 > 0:24:02the dream is more of a possibility now.
0:24:02 > 0:24:05Our vote goes to...
0:24:05 > 0:24:08- ALL:- Australia!
0:24:08 > 0:24:09Woo!
0:24:11 > 0:24:14Are you happy enough with your decision?
0:24:14 > 0:24:15Yeah, I think so.
0:24:15 > 0:24:20I think it's just reinforced what we were thinking before we came.
0:24:20 > 0:24:22- I think we can make it work for us. - Yeah.- Yeah.
0:24:22 > 0:24:24I think we'll be able to work together.
0:24:27 > 0:24:29- Do you want a kiss too?- Yeah!
0:24:29 > 0:24:31- Do you get one?- Ergh!- No?
0:24:38 > 0:24:39After a week to remember,
0:24:39 > 0:24:41the family had decided Australia
0:24:41 > 0:24:45could offer them the fresh start they so desperately wanted.
0:24:45 > 0:24:49We caught up with them one year later in May 2012,
0:24:49 > 0:24:52and Corinne still had a smile on her face.
0:24:52 > 0:24:57Well, in a weeks' time, I will be on a flight to Australia.
0:24:59 > 0:25:01Their trial week had left the couple with no doubts
0:25:01 > 0:25:03as to where their future lay.
0:25:03 > 0:25:05Well, once we returned to the UK,
0:25:05 > 0:25:08we were pretty happy that we wanted to make the move to Australia,
0:25:08 > 0:25:10so we basically got started right away
0:25:10 > 0:25:12trying to put the plans in order.
0:25:12 > 0:25:14We were just... We were really excited,
0:25:14 > 0:25:17but we're really, really nervous about it as well,
0:25:17 > 0:25:20and it was just a rollercoaster after that.
0:25:20 > 0:25:22Now, as the time has come closer,
0:25:22 > 0:25:26I think we're all... We're just all sort of getting to the stage
0:25:26 > 0:25:27where we just want to be away now.
0:25:27 > 0:25:30We're tired, we're living out of suitcases -
0:25:30 > 0:25:32it's not normal.
0:25:34 > 0:25:37Eric had flown out to Perth nine weeks earlier
0:25:37 > 0:25:38to start a new job
0:25:38 > 0:25:40and was looking forward to the rest of his family
0:25:40 > 0:25:42joining him down under.
0:25:42 > 0:25:45Oh, I can't wait, I can't wait until yous get out now.
0:25:45 > 0:25:48I'm really missing you and Jodie and Madison.
0:25:48 > 0:25:50While Corinne and the girls were coping with
0:25:50 > 0:25:52the upheaval of leaving the UK,
0:25:52 > 0:25:54in Australia, Eric was dealing with
0:25:54 > 0:25:56starting a new job in unfamiliar territory.
0:25:58 > 0:26:01I've started here as a senior piping designer.
0:26:01 > 0:26:03The financial package is very good,
0:26:03 > 0:26:06and also the professional development.
0:26:06 > 0:26:09It had taken him long to find his feet.
0:26:09 > 0:26:10There's a lot worse places
0:26:10 > 0:26:12you can think of going to work every morning
0:26:12 > 0:26:14than coming into the centre of Perth
0:26:14 > 0:26:16when you're travelling in, and there's sunshine
0:26:16 > 0:26:20and it's... Yeah, it's very, very different.
0:26:20 > 0:26:24And the benefits of a move were already starting to sink in.
0:26:24 > 0:26:27I'll be home every night just after dinner time
0:26:27 > 0:26:31and be able to spend the evenings with Corinne and the kids.
0:26:31 > 0:26:33There'll just be so much more time together
0:26:33 > 0:26:37and the family time that we've been looking for and we've been wanting.
0:26:37 > 0:26:39Meanwhile, back in the UK...
0:26:39 > 0:26:44What did you get? Oh, wow! And a book on Madison.
0:26:44 > 0:26:46..the reality of what they were leaving behind
0:26:46 > 0:26:48was sinking in with Corinne.
0:26:50 > 0:26:55It's just closing such a chapter in our lives, in our kids' lives.
0:26:55 > 0:26:58I wish Eric had've been here.
0:26:58 > 0:27:00I miss him not being here now,
0:27:00 > 0:27:05and the support of trying to cope with these final few days.
0:27:05 > 0:27:08- And this is you with Barney Bear.- Yeah!
0:27:08 > 0:27:10Were you sad to leave all your friends?
0:27:10 > 0:27:12- A wee bit.- Just a wee bit.
0:27:12 > 0:27:15- You're very, very brave, aren't you? - Ee!- Yeah.
0:27:15 > 0:27:17I'm glad you had a good day.
0:27:20 > 0:27:22In Perth, Eric was also busy
0:27:22 > 0:27:25viewing properties for the family to rent -
0:27:25 > 0:27:27a big responsibility.
0:27:27 > 0:27:30Having somewhere where they're going to feel at home,
0:27:30 > 0:27:33the kids are going to settle, Corinne's going to settle
0:27:33 > 0:27:36is really, really crucial.
0:27:36 > 0:27:39I'll leave it up to you, you know, make the decision that you think...
0:27:39 > 0:27:42- Don't do...don't do that. - ..would be right for us!
0:27:42 > 0:27:44- No!- And if it's not, then...
0:27:44 > 0:27:47No, no, I can't take responsibility for this -
0:27:47 > 0:27:50you're the one that makes all the big decisions like this, pet.
0:27:50 > 0:27:52But he'd risen to the challenge...
0:27:52 > 0:27:56- Hi, Carol. Pleased to meet you. - Hi. Come on in.- Thanks very much.
0:27:56 > 0:27:57Oh, this is lovely.
0:27:57 > 0:28:00..and was hoping everyone would be pleased with his choice.
0:28:00 > 0:28:01I'm looking at this pool.
0:28:01 > 0:28:04- It is nice. - THEY CHUCKLE
0:28:04 > 0:28:07Yeah, I can see two little girls' faces right now.
0:28:08 > 0:28:10It's so calm.
0:28:10 > 0:28:12- I'm really happy. - HE LAUGHS
0:28:12 > 0:28:13I hope Corinne is.
0:28:14 > 0:28:17With a job and house down under sorted,
0:28:17 > 0:28:20the move just couldn't come quick enough for Corinne.
0:28:20 > 0:28:22- CRYING:- I just can't wait...
0:28:22 > 0:28:25I can't wait to get out there and start our lives together.
0:28:25 > 0:28:26I really can't.
0:28:28 > 0:28:31And when she and the girls finally arrived down under,
0:28:31 > 0:28:33it was an emotional reunion.
0:28:45 > 0:28:47- Hello!- Hello!
0:28:49 > 0:28:51Hello, pet.
0:28:51 > 0:28:53So glad to see you.
0:28:53 > 0:28:56At last, the Stitts were back together again.
0:28:56 > 0:28:57It's just so much to take in.
0:28:57 > 0:28:59It's really this is real now,
0:28:59 > 0:29:03and we're going to be altogether and it's the dream come true.
0:29:05 > 0:29:08- Oh, shall we go home? - THEY CHUCKLE
0:29:12 > 0:29:15After years of Eric working away from home,
0:29:15 > 0:29:18the Stitts were ready to start their new lives in Perth
0:29:18 > 0:29:22hoping it would give them the time together they so badly needed.
0:29:22 > 0:29:24So, three years later,
0:29:24 > 0:29:26have the family finally achieved
0:29:26 > 0:29:29the dream life they'd been longing for?
0:29:31 > 0:29:33It's May 2015,
0:29:33 > 0:29:36and the Stitts are still living in...
0:29:36 > 0:29:37Perth, Australia.
0:29:38 > 0:29:41Corinne and Eric still have fond memories of
0:29:41 > 0:29:44the moment their family was brought back together.
0:29:44 > 0:29:46At the airport, when Corinne and the girls arrived, was...
0:29:46 > 0:29:48That was fantastic.
0:29:48 > 0:29:50We really missed Eric
0:29:50 > 0:29:53and then, you know, we knew that whenever we saw him
0:29:53 > 0:29:55that it was all going to be OK.
0:29:55 > 0:29:57Do you want me to put the movie on?
0:29:57 > 0:30:00I felt relieved. "We're here. We've done it."
0:30:00 > 0:30:01And we were together
0:30:01 > 0:30:05and that really was the start of the journey for us all
0:30:05 > 0:30:08here as a family together.
0:30:09 > 0:30:11And the timing couldn't have been better,
0:30:11 > 0:30:13with their furniture landing down under
0:30:13 > 0:30:16just before Corinne and the girls.
0:30:16 > 0:30:22When we went back to the rental, we stepped into our belongings.
0:30:22 > 0:30:26Just familiar things around us, and it really helped.
0:30:26 > 0:30:28The family had arrived in winter,
0:30:28 > 0:30:29and their introduction to Aussie life
0:30:29 > 0:30:31got off to a rough start.
0:30:31 > 0:30:33The first weekend we were here,
0:30:33 > 0:30:36we hit a storm.
0:30:36 > 0:30:38A storm whipped through Secret Harbour
0:30:38 > 0:30:40and took the power out for three days.
0:30:40 > 0:30:43- It took garden fences out, garden plants out...- Trees.
0:30:43 > 0:30:46- A couple of trees. - Oh, it really whipped up.
0:30:46 > 0:30:47We laugh about it now,
0:30:47 > 0:30:49but probably at the time,
0:30:49 > 0:30:52we did sort of think, "Oh, what's this about?
0:30:52 > 0:30:54"We didn't come here for that."
0:30:54 > 0:30:57As the weather settled, though, so did the family...
0:30:58 > 0:31:01..and the first priority was finding a school for the girls.
0:31:02 > 0:31:06We enrolled them in the local primary school in Secret Harbour,
0:31:06 > 0:31:07and they settled in.
0:31:07 > 0:31:09They settled in really, really well.
0:31:09 > 0:31:12Coming home and talking about learning Indonesian,
0:31:12 > 0:31:15learning about Australian history
0:31:15 > 0:31:19and they're both would just be able to tell you so much about Australia,
0:31:19 > 0:31:21and that, to us, is brilliant
0:31:21 > 0:31:26because we realised that they had settled and were enjoying it.
0:31:26 > 0:31:28- Oh, we've got to put it in notes?- Yeah.
0:31:28 > 0:31:30With Eric at work and the girls at school,
0:31:30 > 0:31:32Corinne kept herself busy too.
0:31:32 > 0:31:37I went out, I met different people, I met people for coffee.
0:31:37 > 0:31:42It was important for me to try and make friends quickly
0:31:42 > 0:31:46so that I wasn't left at home waiting for everybody to come back.
0:31:47 > 0:31:49It could have gone that way
0:31:49 > 0:31:52that I would've ended up very much isolated
0:31:52 > 0:31:55and sort of thinking, "Well, what am I doing here?"
0:31:55 > 0:31:58so to avoid that, I really had to get involved.
0:31:58 > 0:32:00The family couldn't quite believe
0:32:00 > 0:32:03their long-held dream was finally becoming reality.
0:32:03 > 0:32:06We'd been planning about it, thinking about it for so long,
0:32:06 > 0:32:08and now we were here
0:32:08 > 0:32:11and things seemed to be falling into place for us.
0:32:11 > 0:32:16Secured the rent, secured work, the kids seemed happy.
0:32:16 > 0:32:19It was, yeah, it was all our new big adventure.
0:32:20 > 0:32:24But the honeymoon period came to an end 18 months in
0:32:24 > 0:32:26when Corinne and Eric began to question
0:32:26 > 0:32:28whether they'd made the right move.
0:32:28 > 0:32:30I started to miss friends and family.
0:32:30 > 0:32:33We've had different things go on in the UK
0:32:33 > 0:32:35that we have missed out on,
0:32:35 > 0:32:37and I think Eric and I sort of thought,
0:32:37 > 0:32:39"Well...do we stay or do we go?"
0:32:39 > 0:32:43To help them decide once and for all where they should be,
0:32:43 > 0:32:45the family flew home to Northern Ireland.
0:32:45 > 0:32:47Brilliant time when we were there,
0:32:47 > 0:32:49and we caught up with all our friends and family...
0:32:50 > 0:32:54..but I think towards the end of it, we felt we wanted to come home.
0:32:54 > 0:32:56When we were talking with people,
0:32:56 > 0:32:59Corinne would say, "Oh, yeah, back home..." meaning here.
0:32:59 > 0:33:02- And then I realised... - And I was like, that's...
0:33:02 > 0:33:03..that was the first time I think
0:33:03 > 0:33:06I had really called Australia home then.
0:33:06 > 0:33:09As much as we loved it, we had moved on.
0:33:09 > 0:33:11As contradictory as it might seem,
0:33:11 > 0:33:15going back actually, I think, helped settle us here.
0:33:17 > 0:33:21With their decision about where their future lay put to rest,
0:33:21 > 0:33:24Corinne and Eric started the hunt for a permanent home.
0:33:26 > 0:33:30We just couldn't find something existing that ticked all the boxes,
0:33:30 > 0:33:33and it ended up we realised to get what we wanted,
0:33:33 > 0:33:34- it was a build.- We would build.
0:33:34 > 0:33:37And the girls helped cement where their new home should be.
0:33:37 > 0:33:40We had a conversation with the kids, and they both said,
0:33:40 > 0:33:43"Secret Harbour! We want to stay in Secret Harbour!"
0:33:44 > 0:33:47The family had fallen in love with Secret Harbour
0:33:47 > 0:33:49during their trial week in 2011
0:33:49 > 0:33:51and had been renting there since the move.
0:33:53 > 0:33:55We didn't really want to move out of the area.
0:33:55 > 0:33:57The kids had started to find friends.
0:33:57 > 0:34:01There's just a feeling of homeliness, community.
0:34:02 > 0:34:04It's coastal, and that was important to us -
0:34:04 > 0:34:08that we wanted to remain by the sea.
0:34:08 > 0:34:09We had looked in other areas,
0:34:09 > 0:34:13- but, honestly...- Yeah. - ..we wanted to be here.
0:34:14 > 0:34:18Decision made, the Stitts designed their ideal home from scratch.
0:34:20 > 0:34:23We wanted the wow factor. We wanted the Aussie dream.
0:34:23 > 0:34:29We wanted the house, theatre rooms, swimming pools, erm, yeah.
0:34:29 > 0:34:32And it looks like that's exactly what they've got.
0:34:37 > 0:34:39Eric and Corinne are delighted with
0:34:39 > 0:34:41their new four-bedroom detached home.
0:34:41 > 0:34:45This is us through now into our main living area...
0:34:46 > 0:34:48..which we're very pleased with.
0:34:48 > 0:34:51We spent a bit of time trying to make sure we got this one right.
0:34:51 > 0:34:54It just gives you that feeling of being open,
0:34:54 > 0:34:57and almost the outside comes into the house as well,
0:34:57 > 0:35:00and we don't feel closed in.
0:35:00 > 0:35:03The house is perched right on the edge of a golf course.
0:35:03 > 0:35:05It can be great first thing early in the morning
0:35:05 > 0:35:08just watching people playing up the fairway.
0:35:09 > 0:35:12Outside, there's plenty of space for entertaining,
0:35:12 > 0:35:14and, of course, the pool.
0:35:15 > 0:35:17And this is the kids' favourite part.
0:35:17 > 0:35:18We're able to sit here in the summer,
0:35:18 > 0:35:20and the kids can splash about.
0:35:20 > 0:35:23We've had lots of friends over in the pool already.
0:35:23 > 0:35:25The kids would say it's part of their dream, isn't it?
0:35:30 > 0:35:34And the pool's not the only feature to please Jodie and Madison.
0:35:34 > 0:35:35As well as their bedrooms,
0:35:35 > 0:35:38they've got their own area for entertaining guests.
0:35:40 > 0:35:44We designed this so they could have their own zone-out area
0:35:44 > 0:35:45when they have their friends over.
0:35:45 > 0:35:49It's just their area for them to get away from Mum and Dad.
0:35:53 > 0:35:55This is our master bedroom.
0:35:55 > 0:35:59The most important thing was a huge walk-in wardrobe.
0:35:59 > 0:36:03- So, it's packed...- With mostly your...- Well...- ..clothes.
0:36:03 > 0:36:05- ERIC CHUCKLES - Some of my stuff.
0:36:05 > 0:36:08- Eric's got a bit of room down the back.- Yeah, a tiny bit.
0:36:08 > 0:36:12It's not just wardrobe space Corinne's reluctant to share.
0:36:12 > 0:36:15In here, we have twin sinks,
0:36:15 > 0:36:18which was very important, the his and hers sinks
0:36:18 > 0:36:20and also the his and hers showers,
0:36:20 > 0:36:23so it's a double shower, which is really important.
0:36:23 > 0:36:26And it's really handy for coming in and out from the pool,
0:36:26 > 0:36:29and we can... Not together, but...
0:36:29 > 0:36:31THEY LAUGH
0:36:31 > 0:36:32Oh, yes, Corinne?
0:36:35 > 0:36:38The house comes with a room just for visitors from home.
0:36:38 > 0:36:41The guest bedroom is purposely here
0:36:41 > 0:36:44for friends and family to come out and stay
0:36:44 > 0:36:48and know that they have a room here any time they want.
0:36:48 > 0:36:51Building their own home from scratch was a challenge,
0:36:51 > 0:36:54but Eric and Corinne feel the result's been well worth it.
0:36:54 > 0:36:58It's a love-hate sort of a thing with the build, you know?
0:36:58 > 0:37:00But we love the end product, and we've got here.
0:37:00 > 0:37:05Yeah, and we're very, very proud of what we've been able to achieve.
0:37:05 > 0:37:08- And, yeah, dream home. Yeah.- Yeah.
0:37:10 > 0:37:13Moving down under was all about regaining the family time
0:37:13 > 0:37:15they'd been missing out on for years.
0:37:16 > 0:37:20Eric's job in the UK meant things had got desperate.
0:37:20 > 0:37:22I was drifting out, I wasn't part of their lives...
0:37:24 > 0:37:26..as much as I wanted to be.
0:37:26 > 0:37:29So, has Australia put a stop to Dad's absence?
0:37:29 > 0:37:32I'm home every night, I'm home at the weekends.
0:37:32 > 0:37:36It's a big change for me. Work's not the big "I am" any more.
0:37:37 > 0:37:39You're going swimming!
0:37:39 > 0:37:41While he's doing the same job,
0:37:41 > 0:37:43being office-based rather than offshore
0:37:43 > 0:37:46means a nine-to-five working day,
0:37:46 > 0:37:49and that's made a big difference to family life.
0:37:49 > 0:37:52I like having my dad around the house.
0:37:52 > 0:37:54It feels really good when he's home.
0:37:54 > 0:37:57Back home, he would always be going away,
0:37:57 > 0:38:03where over here, he just comes home every night, which is nice.
0:38:03 > 0:38:05Getting to spend more time with Corinne and the kids,
0:38:05 > 0:38:07it makes me feel a lot better.
0:38:07 > 0:38:12Just feels natural. It's just the way it should be.
0:38:12 > 0:38:14I feel like I'm part of their lives now.
0:38:14 > 0:38:17I know it's a bit drastic coming to Australia to achieve that,
0:38:17 > 0:38:20but we've... That's what we've had to do.
0:38:20 > 0:38:23It's all about the family and family time
0:38:23 > 0:38:24and getting to spend it together.
0:38:27 > 0:38:29And the Stitts are certainly
0:38:29 > 0:38:32making the most of their time together down under.
0:38:32 > 0:38:36We know what we're doing weekends in advance
0:38:36 > 0:38:38and we've always something on the go.
0:38:38 > 0:38:40We are at the beach quite a lot.
0:38:40 > 0:38:43- Body boarding.- Yeah. - LAUGHING:- Trying to surf.
0:38:43 > 0:38:46Water sports are such a big part of everybody's lives,
0:38:46 > 0:38:49and we've decided to go out
0:38:49 > 0:38:52and invest and get ourselves a jet ski.
0:38:54 > 0:38:57It's all about having fun as well,
0:38:57 > 0:38:59and the family time that we were after.
0:38:59 > 0:39:01Madison! Come quick, stand here.
0:39:04 > 0:39:05Fore!
0:39:06 > 0:39:08Better luck next time, Mum.
0:39:10 > 0:39:11Three years into the move,
0:39:11 > 0:39:15Eric and Corinne are delighted with the progress the girls have made.
0:39:15 > 0:39:18- In the water!- You hit a duck.
0:39:18 > 0:39:21Definitely the two of them have developed a lot...
0:39:22 > 0:39:26..since we've come here, confidence wise.
0:39:26 > 0:39:29I'm just so proud of what they have achieved at school.
0:39:29 > 0:39:32Jodie got Aussie of the Month award.
0:39:34 > 0:39:40We get letters home congratulating the kids on
0:39:40 > 0:39:42how well they're doing in different subjects.
0:39:43 > 0:39:45They're certainly keeping busy.
0:39:47 > 0:39:52Hockey, surf life-saving, golf, drama...
0:39:52 > 0:39:56Bodyboard, surfing, horse riding...
0:39:56 > 0:40:00Madison's already planning her future career down under.
0:40:00 > 0:40:04When I finish school, I want to be...
0:40:04 > 0:40:08either a vet or a lawyer.
0:40:09 > 0:40:13Vets, you get to see lots of animals that people have had,
0:40:13 > 0:40:17and a lawyer... Erm, I think my mum told me.
0:40:17 > 0:40:20I think they....I think they get paid lots of money,
0:40:20 > 0:40:22so that's probably why.
0:40:22 > 0:40:24Is that an Aussie twang I hear, Madison?
0:40:27 > 0:40:29Oh, is that coke?
0:40:29 > 0:40:32The family have developed a solid social circle in Perth.
0:40:32 > 0:40:35We've found making friends pretty easy...
0:40:36 > 0:40:38..but maybe it's because you come
0:40:38 > 0:40:41with a mind-set that you're going to put yourself out.
0:40:41 > 0:40:44You have to put yourself out to meet new people.
0:40:44 > 0:40:48I don't think Eric and I would've just had it just as well
0:40:48 > 0:40:51if we hadn't have met the friends that we have met.
0:40:51 > 0:40:55They fill that void that you do have
0:40:55 > 0:40:58when you're not around familiarity and your family and friends,
0:40:58 > 0:41:01so, in a way, they're your Aussie family.
0:41:03 > 0:41:05Definitely a welcome addition to Secret Harbour, yeah.
0:41:05 > 0:41:07They've brought a bit of life to it.
0:41:07 > 0:41:10Well, an excitement to our lives, haven't they?
0:41:10 > 0:41:14They're an amazing family, they've got so much love to give,
0:41:14 > 0:41:17and they are so full of fun and friendly.
0:41:17 > 0:41:19Bella!
0:41:19 > 0:41:20You need your friends,
0:41:20 > 0:41:23and we've got a really, really good solid friendship now,
0:41:23 > 0:41:26and we can, you know, be there for each other.
0:41:26 > 0:41:28So, three years into their new life,
0:41:28 > 0:41:31is Australia now the family's forever home?
0:41:33 > 0:41:37I love Australia, I love the freedom that it gives us as a family.
0:41:37 > 0:41:42There's just so many positives about our new life here in Australia.
0:41:42 > 0:41:45The mentality here is, it's a can-do.
0:41:46 > 0:41:49So it's not, "Well, what would you want to do that for?" -
0:41:49 > 0:41:50you can do it.
0:41:50 > 0:41:51Going to have a bit of fun.
0:41:51 > 0:41:54Yeah, I'm going to put my feet in the water, feel how cold it is.
0:41:54 > 0:41:55Hey, hey!
0:41:55 > 0:41:58While Jodie agrees with Mum and Dad...
0:41:58 > 0:42:01I prefer Australia to the UK cos of the lifestyle
0:42:01 > 0:42:04and, like, getting my dad home every night and that.
0:42:04 > 0:42:07..Madison's not made her mind up quite yet.
0:42:07 > 0:42:11Er... I like it back home cos it snows,
0:42:11 > 0:42:13but I like it over here cos it's warm.
0:42:13 > 0:42:16Oh, I don't know!
0:42:16 > 0:42:17Oh, that's so hard.
0:42:19 > 0:42:22Mm.... Probably a bit of both.
0:42:22 > 0:42:25You'll have to be more decisive in the court room, Maddie!
0:42:25 > 0:42:27As far as Eric and Corinne are concerned,
0:42:27 > 0:42:31the move to the other side of the world is a permanent one.
0:42:31 > 0:42:36Both of us feel that we have done the right thing coming to Australia,
0:42:36 > 0:42:41and I can't imagine us being back living in Northern Ireland.
0:42:41 > 0:42:46We have made the right decisions and we've made them together,
0:42:46 > 0:42:48and we've made them for the right reasons,
0:42:48 > 0:42:53and I think that's why we're happy here.
0:42:53 > 0:42:56I am 100% sure we made the right move.
0:43:03 > 0:43:05A move down under was all about
0:43:05 > 0:43:09the Stitts achieving a normal, happy family life together,
0:43:09 > 0:43:13and it looks like Australia is delivering just that.
0:43:13 > 0:43:16We wish Eric, Corinne and the girls the best of luck.