Crompton Family Wanted Down Under

After years spent working abroad, you're more than happy

to finally be back home.

Your partner though wants a new life

and already has a job offer on the other side of the world.

Would you sacrifice everything that keeps you content

to allow them to follow their dream?

Air traffic controller, Andrew Crompton,

thinks his family's life could really take off in Australia.

This opportunity is once in a lifetime.

All he needs to do now is convince wife, Gemma,

to give up everything she loves in the UK.

It's starting a new life.

You know, everything is from scratch.

So, will a trial week reveal some home truths?

Oh.

That's insane.

Will Gemma be persuaded to green light Andrew's dream

or keep the family grounded in the UK?

How do you choose between the life you love and the man you love

and what he wants from his life?

Home to over a million expats,

Australia's long been the destination of choice

for British families on the move.

Promising average annual temperatures of 21 degrees,

some of the best beaches on the planet

and a world-famous, laid-back lifestyle,

it's easy to see the attraction for the thousands

who emigrate there every year.

But it isn't idyllic for everyone who makes the move.

Almost half return home with their dream in tatters.

Former navel officer, Gemma Crompton,

is used to navigating her way through stormy situations,

but her more challenging journey yet is on the horizon.

While she's happy with a new career and life in the English countryside,

husband, Andrew, has a very different outlook.

He's convinced his family would be better off living in Australia.

With a job offer already on the table,

it's crunch time for the Cromptons.

In just one week,

can Andrew steer Gemma towards the life he's wanted for years?

The family's first ever visit to Australia gets under way

with just over 22 hours in the sky,

flying from London to Brisbane with stopovers in Dubai and Sydney.

And when they finally arrive, Andrew admits it's been quite a journey.

It was pretty long, yeah, it was quite tiring.

Trying to grab a few hours' sleep.

Now he's here, Andrew's excited about the week ahead.

It's really warm, I'm loving it. So, yeah, can't wait to keep...

-See how... See what we get to go...

-It's better than England.

It's better than England. You're right. It's better than England.

In your five minutes experience of Australia.

And that's all it took.

Henry's onboard already,

but Gemma's going to take a lot more work, despite the sunshine.

It makes it a lot more appealing.

But as far as moving my entire life here,

then I still need to be convinced.

As they take their first steps into Brisbane,

Andrew knows where his family will spend the rest of their lives

is anything but certain.

Back in the UK, the Crompton family live in Fishburn, in County Durham.

They're Dad, Andrew, Mum, Gemma, seven-year-old Henry

and five-year-old Matilda.

Andrew and Gemma met in the Royal Navy 15 years ago.

Andrew stayed on dry land while Gemma sailed the world,

deployed to conflicts such as Iraq and Afghanistan.

Andrew then became a civil air traffic controller

and after six years at sea, Gemma retrained as a radiographer.

-Right, so we're going to make chocolate brownies.

-BOTH:

-Yay!

Now parents to Henry and Matilda,

Gemma loves being permanently on home turf.

Having been in the Navy

and travelled the world as much as I have, it made me really

appreciate the UK and convinced me that I would say here forever.

Yay!

Not if Andrew has his way, though.

Seeing an advert for air traffic controllers in Brisbane

set him thinking about a new life on the other side of the world.

He got in the car and said, "Australia are recruiting,

"do you want to move there"?

I said, "I'm not going".

Despite Gemma's reluctance, Andrew went ahead and applied

for the position and months later he's landed himself a job offer.

I've been through all the testing that is required

and as long as I successfully complete my training,

then I will be accepted for the job.

Andrew's now determined to put the country on Gemma's radar.

Everything about it, it just screams,

"this would be a great place to go to".

The opportunities for the children as they grow up

far outweigh the opportunities in the UK.

We are outdoors people and being in a climate like Australia,

that would afford us all the more opportunity to do that.

The only thing standing between Andrew

and the life he wants is Gemma.

It's difficult knowing that Gemma is very happy with our life here.

If you'd have asked me last year

if I would move to Australia, I would have said, "Never.

"I will never move to Australia"

Gemma's happy with life in the UK.

Dedicated to her new career,

she's passionate about practising taekwondo at her local club

and has a close knit group of friends.

Convincing her to give that up will be a massive challenge.

I don't know if I could make the sacrifices.

I find it all very unsettling that I knew exactly

where my life was going and I was going to work for promotion

in the hospital I was in and stay there until I retired.

Moving half a world away would also mean splitting Gemma

from sister, Joanne, who she sees every day.

And that prospect's already causing heartache.

She has been extremely emotional about it.

And out of everybody, she will be the one that's hard to leave.

We're best friends.

She makes me laugh and I can tell her anything

and I can rely on her and she knows me inside out.

And to be able to just turn up at somebody's house

and have that is really, really special.

The couple are at polar opposites

when it comes to where they should be living.

But Andrew's job offer means it's now decision time.

In one week, Gemma will face an agonising choice

between the life she loves and the one her husband's longing for.

This opportunity is once in a lifetime.

I think if we don't go now, we never will go.

And I think if we don't even attempt to go we'll regret it

for the rest of our lives.

How do you choose between a life you love and the man you love

and what he wants from his life?

To find out where their future lies,

the family are visiting Queensland in the north-east of Australia.

Often referred to as the Sunshine State,

it's the second largest and third most populated state in the country.

Their temporary base is the suburb of Buddina,

just over 60 miles north of Brisbane on the sunshine coast.

But will their first glimpse of Aussie living be enough

to get Gemma excited?

GEMMA GASPS

It's only got a pool.

Wow.

We've got our very own swimming pool. This is unbelievable.

-Don't start crying.

-I know.

I just feel a bit overwhelmed

cos I didn't expect anything this amazing and grand

and, just, luxurious.

Oh!

Inside's impressive, too.

This is the biggest front door I've ever seen in my life.

Oh.

Yes! Whoa!

Oh, my goodness.

What's going to be upstairs?

I don't know cos all the bedrooms are downstairs.

Its location may be surprising,

but the main living area's an instant hit.

Oh, my goodness!

This is amazing.

Isn't it?

Oh, you can see the sea.

With the beach on their doorstep,

the family can't wait to feel the sand between their toes.

Andrew's already feeling more confident about the week ahead.

Yeah, I think we've got out the traps quite well.

I think this was pretty much spot on the money for the start.

I think it'll be a bit of a rollercoaster,

but after today I can't see us going too far backwards.

I think it can only get better.

But despite her earlier enthusiasm,

Gemma's already thinking about the decision she'll soon face.

Do I sacrifice their family

and their relationships with their grandparents

and my relationships

to come and live somewhere sunny, you know? Is it that shallow?

Or is this really a better life for us?

And if the answer to that at the end of this week is yes,

the answer will be easy.

If I'm still on the fence at the end of the week,

then it's going to be a much different question, I think.

In the UK, home for the Cromptons

is a modern, four bedroom, detached house in Fishburn, in County Durham.

If Andrew can convince Gemma to make the move,

their budget for a property in Australia is around £300,000.

I'm hoping that if we did go the house would be less important.

So, it would be more location, close to beaches, close to parks.

Close to things that we can do.

-As long as it's got a big, decent bit of outside space I don't think there's any real...

-Yeah.

Nothing would be a showstopper.

In my ideal home, we would love to have a pool and a large garden.

With one of those shoe racks that rotates.

All right, don't push the boat out.

To find out what kind of house they could actually have in Australia,

today we'll show the Cromptons three properties.

Two on budget and a third which could be their dream home.

Only after they've seen each one will they find out what it costs.

The family's search begins in Pelican Waters.

-Nice. A nice bit of the world, no?

-Unbelievable.

Situated in the heart of Caloundra,

this area's around an hour and a half north of Brisbane,

but only minutes from Sunshine Coast beaches.

Offering a wide range of coastal and sporting activities,

the location should appeal to Andrew and Gemma.

But will the house be on their wavelength, too?

What do you think? I'm liking it, I'm liking it.

So far, so good.

Wow.

-Oh, I love it.

-Look at this.

The modern interiors win Gemma over straight away.

This is absolutely sensational.

-With the open plan living and the...

-Yeah.

This home's living area opens out onto a large garden.

Just what the couple were hoping for.

GEMMA GASPS

-This...

-I love this outside space.

This is really the thing that gets me excited.

The garden has plenty of room to roam

and discovering it backs onto a golf club does little to dent enthusiasm.

It's just, you feel like you're in the country,

even though you're in this big housing estate.

Cos you look over this golf course and it's trees and it's quiet.

Moving back inside to check out the bedrooms,

Andrew's chances of convincing Gemma seem to be on the up.

I think I just spied a walk-in wardrobe.

Wow.

The master bedroom with en suite is a definite hit.

-His and hers sinks.

-That's what you've always wanted.

-I know.

-Apart from a walk-in wardrobe.

-I can have my own tidy side.

And decent sized bedrooms for the children go down well, too.

O-oh, I think this could be Tilda's room.

-What do you think?

-Is this yours?

This is exactly what you need, it's not too big,

it's got great outside space.

Come on, you guys.

And finally a space for the boys.

-Look at the size of this garage.

-Everything's just so big.

-I know.

It's just the scale.

It's like a little maze this house, isn't it? There's loads of little...

It's the first place they've viewed,

but it looks like this is somewhere the Cromptons could be comfortable.

Is it affordable though, with their £300,000 budget?

-Henry, what do you think?

-Erm, 1,284 or something like that.

-1,284.

-Uh-huh.

-That'd be great if it was that much.

-I'll take it.

-I mean, it's immaculate. You could just move straight in.

-It is, yeah.

Time to find out how much it costs.

Right, this is it, Tilda.

Let's turn it over.

-BOTH:

-Oo-oh.

So, pretty much top of our budget.

But doable.

Yeah, it is doable.

But if I was going top of the budget,

we'd need a bigger guest room I think, wouldn't we?

-I'm a bit disappointed actually at how much that is.

-Really?

-Yeah.

In my heart, I was hoping it would be a bit more affordable,

which gave us a bit more leeway

-to look for something slightly bigger.

-I think it's what we expected, though.

Yeah. Yeah, it is. Right, come on, then.

Despite positive reactions to the house,

the price has disappointed Gemma.

If Andrew's to convince her to make the move the next property

will need to deliver what Gemma wants at a price she's happy to pay.

To find out, the family travel to Maleny,

a quaint town situated in the heart of the Sunshine Coast.

Surrounded by mountains and lush green hills,

the area combines countryside with coastal living.

But will this traditional character home

be made-to-measure for the Cromptons?

Look at that.

We could get a nice rocking chair on this deck.

Gemma can see herself enjoying a seat in the sunshine,

but will inside be as appealing?

Right, let's have a look.

It's a little bit...bald.

Andrew's not as concerned about the dated decor.

I like the log burner.

Oh, I didn't even notice the log burner cos the chair was in the way.

The kitchen has one pleasing aspect.

Oh, yeah. I like the kitchen.

My goodness.

So, this might change my view of this house.

Gemma could be coming round.

Yeah, if you just take out the chairs and the pictures then, wow.

It could be amazing, couldn't it?

Will the bedrooms be to her liking, too?

-Wow.

-Oh.

-Mummy, this is mine and your bedroom.

-It's mine and your bedroom.

-Where's daddy going to sleep, in the garden?

-I'm not sure about the floor, though.

Might be some negotiating to do over sleeping arrangements,

but is the en-suite worth fighting over?

Nice, but I think not quite in our taste.

No, it's a bit out of date, I think.

The house might need upgrading,

but the generous gardens could be a big selling point.

It's all about this view, isn't it?

Oh.

It's an impressive outlook

and Andrew's spotted something which could please Gemma.

-Gem. It's a granny flat.

-Oh, my goodness.

-Check it out.

-I just love this garden.

A studio cottage with its own kitchen and bathroom

could be the perfect home from home for visitors.

This is lovely.

-Oh, yeah. Look at that fireplace, as well.

-This is amazing.

This is fabulous, isn't it?

The furniture and fittings are more to Gemma's style.

This bathroom's nice. This is nicer than the main house.

Ooh, a bottom!

And the property's half acre of gardens

has taken Gemma's breath away.

Let's have a quick look down here cos this is absolutely colossal.

We found the football pitch.

-Oh. I love this. I love this.

-This is fabulous.

Although underwhelmed at first,

this home's hidden features have worked wonders on Gemma.

I just loved the garden and the views

and I could really see myself pottering my hours away.

If you took the garden out of it, though

I don't think you'd think the same.

No, I think if the garden wasn't here then I wouldn't feel the same.

So, is it someplace they could afford to call home with £300,000 to spend?

Ohf.

Whoa.

-That is way over.

-More expensive.

That's £35,000 over budget.

I mean, I love the garden. It's gorgeous, it's beautiful, but...

It doesn't tick all our boxes for that amount of money.

-It doesn't tick many of them, really.

-No.

The home just hasn't offered enough to justify a price tag

£35,000 over the couple's budget.

The family head back to Pelican Waters to check out what

we think could be their dream home.

-Oh, my goodness. These are, like, palatial.

-Wow.

-I know.

Based on their ideal wish list,

will this contemporary, five-bedroom house

in a private, gated community be an all round winner?

Oh, yeah.

This is going to be a good one.

Hopefully, inside won't disappoint.

-Oh, my goodness.

-Can that be my room?

-It could be.

-Look at this.

-Oh-ho.

-Wow.

-It's massive.

-It is, it's huge.

With a wine cellar and cinema room,

this house definitely isn't run of the mill.

But will it be the one to convince Gemma to make the move?

Look at that kitchen.

Oh, I love how it all just opens out so your whole living area's just in and out at the same time.

-It's amazing.

-It is amazing.

Wandering outside, Matilda soon spots something else to get excited about.

-A swimming pool!

-Massive.

-A massive swimming pool.

Not only that there's a slide.

I'm lost for words.

And you've got a garden on the side.

It's less roomy than the last one, but still enough for Gemma.

-Garden's gorgeous.

-Come on, I'm coming for you.

-I'm coming.

-It's just so quiet.

-It is quiet, isn't it?

-I know.

Back inside, a perfect play area for Henry and Matilda.

-Table football!

-This is your space, Henry.

There's something for everyone,

but Gemma's trying not to get carried away.

The problem is, everything from this point on would be a disappointment.

Wouldn't it? Do you know what I mean?

Nothing else can compete with this. This house is just absolutely unreal.

The only thing missing is a granny flat,

but with five bedrooms, there's still plenty of rooms for guests.

Mine!

There's a double downstairs bed

and then a single upstairs bed for when people come and sleep over.

Gemma can definitely see herself living in a house like this.

And the enormous master bedroom with en suite

almost leaves her speechless.

-Oh!

-This is my bedroom, remember.

Don't think so, Henry.

-It's just absolutely perfect, isn't it?

-It is.

Everything's really high standard.

This house has sold itself to the whole family.

But with £300,000 to spend, will they be able to afford it?

I think it's really, way smashed over the budget.

-It's way over our budget.

-Above budget, yeah.

It's beautiful and I've loved seeing it

and it's going to just ruin my life that we can't afford it!

Henry, go for it.

-Oo-oh.

-Wow. That is even...

-That's way higher than we predicted.

-Yeah, that is a lot more.

Yeah. That is colossally more money than we can afford.

ANDREW LAUGHS

-Can we save up?

-I guess we'll have to save up.

Never mind.

At £150,000 over budget, this house would be a stretch.

Unless the couple could substantially increase their earnings down under.

Property one had the space and gorgeous garden the couple

wanted, but Gemma wanted more for the money.

Despite substantial grounds and a granny flat,

the interiors of property two weren't quite to anyone's taste.

Complete with a pool and cinema room,

property three was everything the family wanted,

but at more than £150,000 over budget,

sadly the price tag wasn't quite as agreeable.

So, based on everything they've seen, how will the family vote

when it comes to choosing between property in Australia and the UK?

-Australia.

-Undecided.

-Australia.

Why are you undecided, then?

I loved all the houses, they were all gorgeous.

But for the top of our budget

we still didn't get exactly what we wanted.

The last one was just fabulous,

and if it had started with a different number - down.

I don't know that we can afford

to have a house that will meet our needs.

Hoping for more for her money, the Sunshine Coast's property prices

have added to Gemma's doubts about leaving the life she loves in the UK.

She's passionate about her job at home,

but the right work prospects down under could help Andrew's case.

Back in the UK, he's an air traffic controller

at Durham Tees Valley Airport.

But he's already landed himself a job down under.

You have the DME, report back to us.

Airservices Australia have offered me a position

where I would control a Brisbane tower.

And subject to successfully completing a probationary period

and training, they would make my position permanent.

Right, I just need to check some details with you.

Gemma's been a diagnostic radiographer at North Tees Hospital

for the past four years.

Most of my day involves doing 3D body scans of patients who come in.

If Andrew's career down under's to take off,

it's a job she'd have to sacrifice.

And that's a devastating thought.

It's a really important part of my life and...

..I would find it really difficult to go.

To explore her work opportunities in Australia,

we've arranged for Gemma to visit a private radiology clinic,

where she meets operations manager Trevor Gourlay.

-Hi, nice to meet you.

-I'm Trevor, how are you?

-Very well, thanks.

After a quick tour of the facilities,

Gemma's ready to quiz Trevor on her prospects.

Looking at my experience, would you consider me for a position here?

Yeah, absolutely. Absolutely. You seem well-rounded.

It's a good start, and opportunities could be plentiful

with an new public hospital being built on the sunshine coast.

One of the most advanced hospitals in the world, we're led to believe.

And looking at somewhere of about 140 imaging staff, which is...

Wow, that's really nice to know that there's going to be such demand

for my profession in the coming year.

As Andrew's already secured a job, he takes the time to explore

education options for Harry and Matilda,

visiting Suncoast Christian College, a popular private school.

If we can't give them the education and the opportunities

that they've got in the UK, then it's a no-go, really.

The family are welcomed by school principle, Mark Ash.

All right, so I gather you guys are ready for a bit of a look

-around the school.

-Mhm, yep.

While Henry and Matilda sit in on a lesson,

Andrew asks Mark about their potential Aussie schooling.

Matilda's just about to turn five,

and in the UK she's been at school for a year, almost.

Coming to Australia, I think we'd be concerned that

she would resit a year.

In Queensland here,

there's a lot of flexibility given to schools around starting age.

So our head of primary would do an interview, do an assessment of

where she's at in terms of literacy, numeracy, look at her social skills.

And then, in consultation with you, determine whether it's best

to start in prep, year one, what's going to give her the best outcome.

It's welcome news.

Andrew's also keen to find out about their physical education.

What sort of sports programme do you have on a day-to-day,

week-to-week basis?

We've just finished seasons of volley ball

and football in secondary after-school sport.

And the primary kids are midway through their first season

with touch, netball, volleyball, basketball.

Andrew is happy with what he's heard

and Henry and Matilda sound like they'd have no problem fitting in.

So what do you guys think of the school then today?

-I like it.

-You like it?

-I love it.

-You love it.

That should make Gemma happy too.

Back at the clinic, she's finding out about potential work hours.

Well, our MRI starts here at seven, goes through till nine every night.

Mm-hm, right.

We occasionally do Saturdays if the workload demands it.

All she needs to know now is her potential salary.

So what kind of wage would I be expecting to earn,

if I was working in the private radiology sector?

With your qualifications, you'd probably start off

at 90,000 to 100,000.

It sort of gets up to about 115,000, I suppose.

That's unbelievable, that's more than double what I earn in the UK.

It's been encouraging news for Gemma all the way,

but has she heard enough to choose a career in Australia, over the UK?

I'm ready to vote...

Australia!

It's just so much better than it could be at home.

It was an easy decision to make, after the conversation I had.

Australia all the way.

Mind made up, Gemma's keen to share her news with Andrew

and find out how he got on at school.

So how did the kids get on?

It was impressive, it was, like, loads of resources.

Both of them thought it was brilliant.

-So you'd be really happy for them to go there?

-Oh, yeah, absolutely.

-Yeah, it was brilliant.

-Oh, that's great news.

Andrew's anxious to hear how Gemma got on.

So how was your day, how did the job go?

My qualifications were really good, I'd be quite desirable in Australia.

-And the best bit was, he said I would earn 115,000.

-115,00?

-Yeah.

-That is mint.

-Yeah.

Discovering she could earn more doing the job she loves,

could mean Gemma's beginning to understand Australia's appeal,

but there's a long way to go before the move's a done deal.

A key part of Andrew's desire to emigrate,

is the lifestyle he believes the country could offer.

So will a typically Aussie family day out bring him

one step closer to achieving his goal?

Making the most of the fine weather, the family head east of Caloundra,

to enjoy a day at King's Beach.

It's going to be fun.

With its water fountains and playground,

right on the oceanfront, this is a popular spot

for families with young children.

And Henry and Matilda take to the lifestyle like ducks to water.

This is awesome.

Henry spots an adventurous activity he'd like to try.

-Bungee jump.

-Do you fancy doing bungee jump?

-Do you want to go on the jump?

-Yeah!

It's the perfect way to burn off some energy.

OK, little man, move into the middle and I'll tell you when to jump.

-So you could get used to this then?

-Oh, yeah.

It beats hanging out in Fishburn in the rain.

That should be music to Andrew's ears.

Time for a spot of lunch in the park.

-Is this our first picnic?

-First ever picnic in Australia.

Andrew's delighted to finally experience Aussie living.

Before we came, I felt... Is it going to live up to my expectations?

And it's gone way past everything that I thought it would be.

Gemma could be warming to the idea of a life in the southern hemisphere.

It just really has opened my eyes to what kind of a life we can have.

The weather, obviously, is a huge bonus.

You can do so much more with your children

when you've got a sunny day pretty much guaranteed every day.

But she's still mindful, sunshine isn't everything.

It's starting a new life.

You know, everything is from scratch.

And I'm still kind of on a bit of an emotional rollercoaster

and I find it hard to think of this place as home.

Andrew's all too aware Gemma's torn and that

come the end of the week, she'll hold the key to their future.

She has the ultimate veto.

If she doesn't want to come, she doesn't have to come.

And none of us will.

As the afternoon draws to a close,

Gemma's pondering the reality of leaving her sister in the UK.

I don't know if I'm ready for that.

And I'm pretty sure she's not.

I mean, she's texted me every day that we've been here.

And I just can't imagine having a life without her being in it.

A difficult decision lies ahead for Gemma,

but based on today alone, it's time to find out

if the family prefer lifestyle in the UK or Australia.

-ALL:

-Australia!

Is everybody the same? Yay!

I just loved how everything was all so close to the beach as well,

so you could have a really full day without really getting

bored of doing any activities.

Yeah, and then we had a picnic in the park

and it was all in the same place.

Everything was together. And it was all free, really.

It was really good. We had a great day. Did you have a great day?

Yeah.

With another vote going his way,

Andrew could be inching closer to achieving the life

he wants for his family, but will the finances down under stack up?

The couple would sell their house in the UK

and believe it's worth around £200,000.

We sent round two estate agents to give their valuations.

Bit nervous about what they say.

I'm more nervous in case it looks messy or dirty.

So weird.

This is a really airy, modern hall.

Lovely wooden flooring.

It's a really, really modern kitchen. Lovely range cooker.

-It looks really nice.

-It does, yeah.

-That's my dad.

-Nice big family space.

Lots of happy pictures on the wall.

It looks really nice.

What a lovely room, like having a hotel room in your home.

Got lots of space, lots of storage.

Nice, neutral white bathroom space.

Do you think he's saying it's a bit boring?

Yeah, everything seems to be working fine, great.

The toilet!

It's a great spare room and a lovely view at the back, over the fields.

We've got a family dog here, who's obviously very happy.

Aw, Earl's on! Fantastic.

And we've got all this countryside here and here and here.

-Really appealing for any family.

-It's gorgeous, looks good.

In the current market conditions,

I would value this property at £180,000.

THEY WINCE

And, for a quick sale, I would value this property at £170,000.

What?

I would value this house at £195,000.

For a quick sale, I would value it at £175,000.

So that's a bit under.

That changes what we would be able to afford over here,

-if we decide to come...

-True.

..because that's like, £20,000 less than we were expecting.

Hopefully there won't be more nasty shocks

when the couple examine finances in Australia.

To see how they add up,

we've prepared a comparison of costs with the UK.

Here we go.

First up, a look at the weekly grocery shop.

Brown sauce is, like, way more expensive.

Unless we could source our own supply.

-Bananas are a lot more expensive.

-Yeah, they are.

-Which is surprising, really.

-And potatoes.

Most of it is slightly more expensive, I would say.

A quick tot up of expensive reveals what they'll be paying

out for food every week.

£153.23.

So the UK was £133.72.

So £19.51 more expensive.

That's almost £80.00 more every month.

-Not too bad though, could've been worse.

-No, happy days.

Encouraged, the couple move onto the bigger monthly bills.

The mortgage here, based on the first house we viewed, is £1,507.33.

Childcare is a lot more, because, obviously, we won't have our family.

And then private school fees per month, for both kids, £436.13.

The added extras quickly stack up

and it's clear the couple would be spending much more down under.

-£1,326.69...

-Yeah.

-..more expensive per month.

-Yeah.

Wowsers.

It's a considerable hit, but Gemma could almost double her

salary in Australia and that could help massively.

-£7,654.

-And that's per month.

We earn just under £32,000 a year more than we do in the UK.

But then it's obviously more expensive to live.

It's a phenomenal increase in earnings and when the couple subtract

their outgoings, they discover they'd be £1,300 better off each month.

That's £16,000 a year.

GEMMA GASPS

Stop. That's insane.

That's insane.

-16 grand, that's like a wage, isn't it?

-Yeah.

That's a whole wage, on top.

That's really overwhelming.

It's got to be a positive result for Andrew,

as the couple vote on finances in Australia versus the UK.

Based on our finances, the UK versus Australia,

we're going to vote for...

Australia.

Australia!

-So you're happy with that then?

-"Happy"?

With an extra 16 grand a year, I'd be insane to vote anything else,

based on finances.

So far, Gemma's discovered the work, lifestyle

and financial opportunities Australia could offer are hard to argue with.

But Andrew's dream could still stall,

as Gemma confronts the reality of leaving loved ones.

The family sit down to watch messages from home.

So we're going to watch our family and friends' videos from home.

And it might be a little bit sad, OK?

Cos it's going to be all your family telling you

what they think about us maybe moving to Australia, so do you

think you're happy to watch that, even though it might make you sad?

-Yeah.

-It won't make me sad.

-It won't make you sad? OK. So are you sure?

-Mm-hm.

-Yeah.

-OK, should we watch it then?

-BOTH: Yeah.

-Hi!

-Hi, Gemma, Andy, Henry, Matilda.

Hi, kids, this is your nanna.

-Hi.

-Hi, Gemma, Andy, Matilda and Henry.

My son, wonderful boy.

Just like his father.

My relationship with my sister is she's my best friend.

We're there for each other, we're on the phone a lot of the time.

She's a very outgoing girl, she's a very loving girl.

Very proud of her.

Two lovely kids, very well-brought-up, very well-behaved.

It'll bring them on leaps and bounds down under.

I ain't going to last forever.

She's hopefully going to live a lot longer than do now.

And I want what's best for them.

It's going to break my heart.

There would be a huge hole in my life, if the grandchildren go.

Whatever you do, you have our full backing and our full support.

I love you all very much.

I hope you make the right decision for yourselves.

Love you both and adore my grandchildren.

Bye.

I'm gutted that you're going to be across the world.

But I know you're only on the other end of a phone

and I know we'll still stay in touch and we'll still be close.

I'm very proud of you.

You all right?

I knew Joanne was going to be the hard one.

She's just such a huge part of our life and I need her, I need her.

So it will be hard to leave.

Are you worried about me?

No, I'm OK.

Hearing messages from home was particularly tough for Gemma,

who after years at sea,

has grown accustomed to having loved ones close by once more.

Knowing friends and family will support whatever decision

they reach is reassuring, but will the thought of how much they'd

be missed mean Andrew's dream is about to run aground forever?

When the Crompton's touched down in Australia a week ago,

Andrew was hoping the country would sell itself as somewhere

the family could make themselves at home.

I don't want to pile all the pressure on Gemma, but, obviously,

I was already sold on the idea of coming here in the first place.

This was all about convincing her.

It was more, for me, about whether I could still be happy here as well.

I'm feeling a lot more positive,

but there's still a bit of a niggle, you know, my family and my friends.

And also, how we'd settle over in Australia.

With his job offer already on the table,

Gemma knows Andrew is more determined than ever to make the move.

He's already here. He's made this move in his head and his heart.

This week has just cemented 100% that this is the right

place for us to be.

And Henry's been convinced too.

I think it would be quite nice being here for a long time,

being in the sunshine.

I don't like being in the rain.

But, as the final decision approaches,

Andrew's still not sure what life his wife will choose.

If she votes yes, that'll be fantastic.

We would make a brilliant life here.

If she decides that it's just not what she wants,

then OK, I'll have to console myself to that fact.

It's totally emotional.

My head is in Australia now, my heart is just still attached

and I can't really explain it.

I just feel sad when I think about leaving home.

What Gemma decides next will change the family's path forever,

As Andrew prepares to find out whether the week's done enough

to finally convince her to follow his dream.

So, after a trial week in Australia, we're ready to make our final vote.

-ALL:

-Australia!

-Really? Good news.

-Yeah.

I think so, I mean,

it was always going to be an emotional rollercoaster

and it's going to be hard to leave, but this is definitely

the right place to raise our kids and it's the right place for us.

Employment-wise, financially and the lifestyle it's what I want,

for me as well as them.

So I might be a bit crazy on the transition, but let's go for it.

-You guys happy with that?

-Right, guys, let's go!

It was a tough decision for Gemma, but, after much deliberating,

Andrew's finally got the all clear to accept his exciting job

offer down under.

We wish the whole family the very best of luck as they prepare

to take off on the journey of a lifetime.