Stone Family Wanted Down Under

For 12 years, family members on opposite sides of the world

have seen a couple wrestle with where to spend

the rest of their lives.

Now, it's decision time.

Dave Stone's desperate to be reunited

with his brother down under.

I think about moving to Australia pretty much every day.

But the thought of leaving her mum in the UK brings wife Sam to tears.

I just feel really guilty every time I see her.

A trial week in Australia opens her eyes to the life

her family could be living.

It's just unbelievable.

This is just out of this world.

I really, really like Australia.

But when it comes to the crunch,

can she really give her husband's dream the go-ahead?

She's pretty much all I've got, so...

Climate, a common language

and the promise of barbecues at Christmas -

Australia's enduring appeal has seen enough Brits

to pack Wembley Stadium

move there in just the last three years.

But life on the other side of the world doesn't always

live up to the dream.

Latest figures show,

almost half of those making the move return to the UK.

A childhood in the sun and a brother already in Australia

has Dave Stone convinced his young family's future

will be better down under.

But for wife Sam, uprooting from the UK would be anything but easy,

bringing heartache to the mum who raised her alone.

Now, the family has one week to sample life down under

before Sam's faced with the biggest decision of her life.

Flying via Singapore, it takes a full day of travelling

for the Stones to reach Brisbane.

But for Sam, it's been a rare opportunity to relax.

I'm pleasantly surprised.

We got to sit down and we were waited on for 24 hours, so...

-That never happens.

-Yeah, that makes a change that we didn't have to run around after the kids.

Sophie's shattered, but Dad's just delighted to be back down under.

Now we're finally here, I'm feeling very excited.

I've been thinking about this for a long period of time.

And Sam, she's more hesitant about what lies in store.

I feel slightly nervous...

..and apprehensive about what's to come.

Dave is 100% focused on his goal over the next seven days.

This week's all about persuading my wife, really, cos at the moment

she's not looking forward to spending her life in Australia.

Australia really does have to exceed my expectations

and offer a lot more than what we've already got in the UK...

for me to move the whole family to the other side of the world.

If their week in the Sunshine State fails to impress,

Dave's 15 year dream could bite the dust for ever.

The Stone family are from Brighton in West Sussex.

They're Dad Dave, Mum Sam,

Sophie, age four, and Emily, who's one.

Brighton's a long way from where Dave grew up, though.

Born in Dubai, he and brother Rick shared an idyllic upbringing.

It was warm, it was sunny, we used to go to the beach a lot.

With just a year between them,

the brothers formed an unbreakable bond during adventures in the sun.

We used to actually sail together and we'd be helping each other.

One would be steering and one would actually be with the sail.

We did everything together, I guess, at that age.

David and Rick are really close.

They are like two peas in a pod.

But the siblings saw 10,000 miles put between them

when Rick emigrated to Australia in 2000.

A year later, Dave flew out for a holiday and was instantly smitten.

That's when, I guess, the dream started. It was something else.

You see it on the internet, you see it on magazines,

but it's not till you get there, you realise how unbelievable it is.

Ever since, he's had just one thing on his mind.

I think about moving to Australia pretty much every day.

While Dave's been upfront about his antipodean desires with Sam

from the beginning...

Ever since we met in 2003, he's talked to me

about joining his brother Rick in Australia.

..she's made it just as clear, she doesn't share the dream.

I'm really settled here and I've got a lot to give up.

Dave had the ideal opportunity to change Sam's mind eight years ago

when the couple flew down under for Rick's wedding.

I was hoping, obviously, she'd be blown away and that was it.

The next year, we'd be moving out there.

But things didn't quite go according to plan.

I liked it, I enjoyed my time there,

but I didn't feel like it was somewhere that I could live.

Nearly ten years later, though, Dave's determined to make the move

and give Sophie and Emily a taste of the outdoors upbringing he enjoyed.

Australia's where he sees his family's future.

'I have some words of wisdom to bring you.'

And he'll try anything to convince his wife.

One of these days, you'll awake to a peaceful world

and great happiness in Australia.

-SHE LAUGHS

-I can't believe it says that!

That's amazing!

But he's not the only one with close family ties.

An only child, Sam's mum raised her as a single parent

and they still play a large role in each other's lives.

We speak to each other on the phone, probably, every day.

She pops down here,

I can just pop up there cos she's only round the corner.

The issue of a potential move to Australia is just too painful

to raise.

We kind of avoid the subject. It's like the elephant in the room.

We don't... We're just not talking about it.

Literally, her world is Sam and the grandkids.

Sam's mum doesn't enjoy flying, so moving half a world away

would rob her of the chance to see her only grandchildren grow up.

And that thought leaves Sam inconsolable.

I just feel really guilty every time I see her,

or every time I do things with her and the children.

Really breaks my heart to think that...

I know how she feels, so...

Cos I'd feel the same, so...

I just... I can't talk about it.

For 12 years, Dave and Sam have faced uncertainty over

where their future lies,

torn between families on opposite sides of the globe.

I don't feel like we can move forward with our life at the moment

because we don't know what we're doing and we're in

kind of limbo land.

Desperate to bring their situation to a conclusion,

Sam has agreed to give Australia one more go.

She feels that if we don't go out there, then that's my dream gone

and if we do stay in the UK, that, literally, every day I'll probably

be thinking about the fact that we could have moved to Australia.

Within the space of a week,

where the family spend their future will be decided.

But either outcome will bring heartache for someone.

I think that it will be hard to convince her,

even if everything is in place, everything is right.

She may still decide that that's not what she wants.

Dave's dream is in my hands, so to speak,

because the decision is on my head.

Can I leave my mum behind?

Can I take her grandchildren away and...?

I don't know if I can do that to her.

The Stones are spending their trial week on the Sunshine Coast.

Stretching along the Coral Sea, it's home to miles of scenic beaches

and just an hour from Australia's third largest city, Brisbane.

Home for the week is a four-bedroom house in Marcoola,

just 20 minutes from Dave's brother.

And Dave likes the look of it.

-Look at this house.

-Wow.

-It's huge. Wow.

-Oh, my God.

-Oh, my God, it's massive.

-Yeah.

It's a great start to his week

and Dave's straight in with a bit of suggestive selling.

Just think the sort of family gatherings you could have.

-I know.

-The space the kids would have for running around.

A spacious upper level has Dave making plans.

Third child, I reckon.

What do you reckon? Fourth, fifth?

Outdoors doesn't disappoint either

and, once again, Dave dives in.

Is this enough?

If we could afford something like this,

I would have to seriously think about it.

While the sun may not be shining,

a short stroll to a nearby beach has Sam spellbound.

Wow!

Can you imagine just waking up to this every day?

-Mind-blowing.

-That's just the outdoor life, isn't it?

-Yeah.

-And the fact that you can do this more than three months a year.

-I know.

It's a better start than Dave could ever have imagined.

When you look at a house like we've just looked at today,

and you walk on a beach that's stunning as far as the eye can see,

you know you're on the right track to winning her over.

What do you think, Emily? Do you like it?

Yeah? Is that a little smile I see?

Little smile?

But his positive outlook may be overoptimistic.

I'm really on the fence.

It's all very well having a nice, big, four-bedroom house with

a swimming pool, but the price of leaving my mum behind

and taking her only grandchildren away from her,

is that really worth it?

Sam knows, come the end of the week, she'll face a huge dilemma.

I don't want to break her heart, but at the same time,

I've got to think about my family.

I just feel really torn.

Someone will be upset...

no matter what the outcome.

Back in the UK, the Stones live in a three-bedroom semi

just outside Brighton, which they bought five years ago for £250,000.

Put a lot of time and effort and money

into getting the house how we want.

We love it.

But at the same time, it's quite a small house

and with two kids running around, we need a little more space.

The couple would have a budget of £350,000 for a property down under

and Dave's clear about what he'd like a home to have.

A double garage, a media room, a large garden, somewhere with space.

You've got an open-plan kitchen.

It's the size of the house, I think, more than anything else.

Swimming pool?

A swimming pool would be definitely a bonus, wouldn't it?

And as for location, a taste of home would be ideal.

We live in a lovely area,

five-minute walk from the beach, we have Brighton on our doorstep

which has lots of things for the kids to do.

But wouldn't it be great if we found somewhere in Australia

that's like Brighton, has all the things that we're used to,

but we can do it all year round?

To give the family an idea of what kind of home their £350,000

would get on the Sunshine Coast,

today we'll show them three properties -

two close to budget

and a third which could be everything they want

from a dream home.

The search begins in Sippy Downs,

bordered by a natural park and botanic gardens,

the suburb offers affordable housing,

making it popular with young families.

And with the beach and seaside hot spot ten minutes away,

the location could be perfect for the Stones.

Will this recently renovated home have the space

the couple are looking for?

-Do you like it?

-It looks amazing.

-Wow, look at this place.

-Yeah!

Wow!

This is just the reception.

Certainly a good start.

Very impressive.

And Sophie seems sold.

Love it.

You love it?

Well...

While Emily and Sophie are looked after by a childminder,

Mum and Dad head off to explore.

-This is nice, isn't it?

-Yeah.

-It's kind of an open-plan living room.

-Wow.

-Very nice.

-Look what we've got here.

-Talk about a nice kitchen, eh?

-Yeah.

-Lots of space.

-Yep.

-We can see the kids eating

while you're preparing food.

-Yep.

-That's really important for me.

The open-plan kitchen has a pleasing hidden feature.

Oh, look.

A larder.

-Oh, I like this.

-A walk-in larder.

A walk-in larder.

But Sam's already worried this home could be out of reach.

Nice. Wonder how much it costs.

You'll soon find out, Sam.

-Oh.

-Oh, a washroom.

-Nice.

-That's handy.

-Love it.

I would love to have a room like this.

A dedicated laundry room's a hit.

This is perfect. This is a real selling point for me.

-Oh, so the master bedroom, judging by the size.

-Wow.

-And

-an en-suite. Wow.

-And that is some en-suite.

Really, really nice.

With four bedrooms, this house has the space the family needs,

but is something missing?

I haven't seen a wardrobe.

They're walk-in, Sam!

Oh, my God!

While Sophie's back for a look outdoors...

-Wow.

-Look at this!

You've got a pool, Sophie, look at that.

..she isn't impressed.

Oh, it's got a spider in.

It's got a spider in the pool, no?

It's going to take more than a creepy-crawlie

to put Dave off his stride, though.

This is the dream, isn't it, hon?

This is just unbelievable.

It's just... Yeah, breathtaking.

How do you compare this to home? There's no comparison, is there?

There's no comparison at all. If we could afford this house...

And move to the other side of the world to stay in here?

..then I would seriously consider it. I'm absolutely blown away by this.

Sam can really see herself at home in this house,

but is it one they can afford?

The family's budget is £350,000.

I think it's about 400,000.

-Do you?

-That's my thoughts.

Ticks all the boxes, doesn't it?

And nice area with a good school, so probably...

..400,000, 450?

Let's turn over the card and find out how much this place is worth.

OK.

Wow. I did not expect that!

That's £35,000 under budget.

-That's so affordable.

-I can't believe it.

Wow. I just can't wait to see the next one.

With only one house viewed, Dave's dream could be firmly on track.

Next, the family head to Landsborough,

a small historic town dotted with parks and lakes.

Though it's further inland and away from the beach, that means

when it comes to property, you can get more for your money.

Will this modern four-bedroom house prove as big a hit as the last?

Oh, wow. Look at the size of it!

-It is a nice-looking place, isn't it?

-Oh, my goodness.

Spread out over one level and boasting four living areas,

this house impresses immediately.

-Wow!

-Look at the reception.

High ceilings throughout add to a sense of space.

-And it's large.

-That's a kitchen...

-Extremely large.

-..and a half!

Sam's stunned.

I'm gobsmacked, speechless.

A home cinema room's a winner.

-Oh!

-There you go!

-A media room.

Ah!

Just to chill out with the kids, sitting down, bit of popcorn

and drink holders as well, that's what you've got to have, put your feet up...

-Ooh!

-..and watch something on this.

-I mean...

-It's nice!

This house is everything Dave had been hoping for.

It's just amazing, isn't it?

And the main bedroom doesn't disappoint.

-Oh, wow, it's massive!

-I know.

-Bed is huge.

-Yeah.

-Lovely, isn't it?

God, it's so big.

En suite as well.

There's en suite, Dave! Look at the size of the shower.

Everything about this house is spacious.

There's even a separate wing for the children.

They'd just love it, wouldn't they?

Sam can definitely picture herself living here.

I'll take it.

-Yeah, where do we sign?

-THEY LAUGH

And that's before she's set foot outside.

Oh, my... Wow!

-Look at that!

-Wow!

-Look at the size of this pool.

-I know.

-You could do lengths in this pool.

-Yeah.

The sparkling pool leads onto an enormous garden.

-It really is unbelievable. I've never seen anything like it.

-No.

-There's not many houses that come with a treehouse, are there?

-I know!

-Aw, how cute is this?

-They'd love it in a place like this.

This house has wowed both Dave and Sam.

But could they really call it home, with their £350,000 budget?

Oh, hon, so what do you reckon? How much is a house like this worth?

So, taking into account the size of the property,

I reckon at least £500,000.

-That'd be way out of reach.

-Yeah.

Yeah, that'd be so disappointing.

Shall we take a look?

SAM GASPS

-No way. 345,000.

-I'm absolutely gobsmacked.

£5,000 under budget.

I'm almost moved to tears.

I can't believe this could be possible.

This leaves David just one question.

Would you like to move to Australia if you lived in a house like this?

At the moment, my answer would... Well, yeah, it would be swayed towards the yes.

After 14 years of longing, that's music to Dave's ears

and the day isn't over yet.

For their final stop,

we're showing the Stones what we think could be their dream home.

It's in Buderim, a suburb once voted the third most desirable

place to live in the world.

This modern four-bedroom house is positioned on half an acre

of land and it's not only the garden that's big.

Oh, look at this size of this door.

-That's a good start, isn't it?

-Massive.

I've never seen anything like this.

SAM GASPS

-BOTH:

-Wow!

I know we're using that adjective quite a lot,

but really, this time...

-My goodness, look at this.

-Wow. There's so much to see.

-It's a nice little cosy area, but then it opens up to this massive area.

-Yeah.

With five bedrooms and four living areas,

space won't be a problem here.

This is just out of this world.

Outside's perfect for entertaining.

Wow, this is the outside area, a living space. It's lovely, isn't it?

Wow, oh, it's lovely. Gorgeous.

And again, Sam can imagine feeling right at home.

-Yeah.

-Chill out here, barbecues, parties.

Quite a big space, isn't it, really?

-This is the pool.

-It is, let's have a look at this amazing-looking pool.

-Wow! Oh, it's stunning, isn't it?

-It is, isn't it?

Back indoors, the master bedroom doesn't disappoint.

-Just look at the size of this!

-Look at the size of it.

Ah, an en-suite!

-A massive en-suite.

-A standard ridiculously big en-suite!

His and her basins.

Wow, this is a nice bedroom, isn't it?

Look, double doors out on to the garden area.

-A private little garden space.

-It is, isn't it?

This house has really captured the couple's hearts.

Aw, Dave.

One day, it could be.

-This house... It's just awesome.

-You never know.

But if it falls on the wrong side of their £350,000 budget,

it could be nothing more than a pipe dream.

-I wonder how much this is worth.

-Yeah.

-A lot.

-Definitely has to be over budget.

-I'm certain.

-It has to be.

It's time to find out.

I'd guess about £600,000.

I'm going to go slightly higher, I'm going to say 700.

-£700,000?

-Mmm.

-OK.

Well, let's turn over the card and find out. See who's right.

SAM GASPS

£519,000!

-That's so much more less than what we were actually guessing.

-Wow.

It's nearly 50% over budget, but the couple aren't put off.

I can't believe what we can get for our money over here.

-So it's a definite, you know, a definite tick in the box.

-Yeah?

-You never know. A house like this is actually achievable.

-Yeah.

-So, fingers crossed, let's see how the rest of the week turns out.

-Mmm.

Their day house-hunting has got Dave's battle to persuade Sam

to make the move off to a flying start.

Property one's walk-in larder and laundry room had Sam swayed

and was well within the couple's budget.

Property two had all the space, both indoors and outdoors,

Dave and Sam could possibly need, and for less than they could afford.

Finally, Property three was the dream home and though over budget,

depending on jobs, it wasn't necessarily beyond reach.

So, based on everything they've seen today,

when it comes to properties, will Dave and Sam choose home or away?

So, after learning about Australian property today,

we're now going to vote.

BOTH: Australia!

So, why did you vote for Australia? I didn't expect that.

Oh, well, it was a no-brainer, really, wasn't it,

-after the properties that we've seen today?

-It's good to hear

I've finally convinced you. So that's step one done.

The properties have definitely won it over for me.

Dave? Dave!

A perfect day for Dave's rounded off with a reunion

with brother Rick and family.

And Rick's keen to hear if a move's a done deal.

-It's looking good so far, I have to say.

-Good, yeah.

-What happened, mate?

-Sounds like she's more positive to it.

-Excellent.

-Yes!

-Fingers crossed.

-Come on!

-There's still more decisions to be made, so...

-Ah, OK.

So it's not a done deal at the moment.

Rick's been living the Australian dream for 15 years, but...

Not having my brother here is probably one part of my life that's missing.

I love living in Australia and I've been very happy here,

very settled and the chance to have my brother here too would be amazing.

-To Australia!

-CHEERING

And for Dave, the evening's cemented

just why he's so passionate about making the move.

Well, it's not just having a new life over here,

it's actually being with the people you care about.

For your children to have the sort of bond that we've had,

again, words can't describe that.

-Cheers!

-So you've got to move!

-Yeah, that's it. Decision's made for me.

-Brilliant!

-Let's see.

A first vote for Australia from Sam is a step in the right direction

for Dave, but there's a long way to go yet.

Affording the Australian lifestyle he dreams of

will depend on the couple's securing the right salaries.

Dave's the main visa applicant.

Back in the UK, he works in information technology

and has been with the same company for 16 years.

I love my job, I love the problem-solving aspects of it,

I love the people I work with.

Sam gave up a job in HR recruitment to become a full-time mum

when the girls were born.

But she's keen to get back in the saddle at least part-time.

I love spending time with the girls, but I also do miss being at work.

At the moment, the couple are just breaking even in the UK.

A substantial increase in income would help sway Sam towards the move.

It's really important that I find a better-paid job in order to

convince Sam that we can actually live the lifestyle that we want.

The key factor as to whether or not we move

to Australia is the financial aspect

and it's not just Dave's salary, it's also what I could potentially earn.

Definitely not a step back,

a step forward is really critical to this decision-making process.

-Well done!

-SAM LAUGHS

While the girls are looked after by a childminder,

the couple set out to explore their work options in Queensland.

First up, Dave meets Ben Hague, a recruitment manager

who specialises in information technology.

Straight away, Ben's got encouraging news.

You've got a niche skill set across a number of areas.

-Definitely you're a very marketable candidate.

-That's good to hear.

You know, you can actually look at a number of different potential

-avenues to move into.

-OK. That's interesting.

So then I can see what the market's like

-and then decide which avenue's the best one?

-Absolutely, yeah.

-OK.

But while he could perhaps have his pick of roles, finding one

on the Sunshine Coast near his brother

could prove more problematic.

The Sunshine Coast,

it's an absolutely fantastic place to live, but the opportunities

are fewer and far between where there is a smaller economy.

The real kind of probability or realistic thing is you will secure

a role in Brisbane, something for you to think about.

Yeah, OK, thanks a lot.

Meanwhile, Sam's at one of the Sunshine Coast's biggest

employers, a water company where she meets recruitment adviser, Nick.

Straight away, Sam's keen to discover

if any roles for her would exist in the company.

Ideally, the sort of roles that I'm looking for

-at the moment would be internal recruitment...

-Sure.

..recruitment coordinator or a bit of HR admin.

The experience that you've placed on this CV definitely matches

with a lot of the systems and processes we use.

-I'm a recruitment adviser...

-Yeah.

-..so that role definitely would

-match your skill set.

-Yeah.

They could be HR advisor roles, so if we were to hypothetically

advertise roles like that, you could be a perfect match.

Sam could slot right in.

Back with Ben, Dave's getting down to the nitty-gritty.

If he did commute to Brisbane, what could he earn?

If you were to look at either project management or IT management,

which again, is relevant to your background and experience,

-you could be looking anywhere between £46,000 up to £68,000.

-Wow.

Securing a senior role in Brisbane could swell Dave's salary

by £20,000, compared to what he currently earns.

And on the Sunshine Coast...

You'd be looking at 45,000-60,000.

OK, so there's potential there as well?

Dave's happy with that.

That's excellent news for me and my family.

Knowing that you can actually get some good salaries in both locations.

Sounds like we need to live somewhere between Brisbane and Sunshine Coast

-and have the options to move to both places.

-Best of both worlds.

-Yeah, absolutely.

-OK, thanks for that.

Back at the water company, Sam's about to discover her potential earnings.

Potentially £23,000 through to about £32,000.

That sounds great, actually.

Roughly probably about the same

if not a little bit more than what we could get back in the UK.

Meeting up, the couple compare notes.

I've found out that job opportunity-wise, it's pretty good in Brisbane

and the salary scale is around 45,000-60,000, which is excellent.

-Wow, good.

-Which you know, that's what I was hoping for.

I do feel reassured that there are job opportunities for us both,

and the salaries are at a decent level.

So has what they've discovered today been enough to persuade

Dave and Sam to choose work in Australia over the UK?

After reviewing our job opportunities today,

it's time to vote.

-BOTH:

-Australia!

Oh, so you voted for Australia?

Well, I was kind of on the fence but the salaries are more.

It is more than the UK.

So that swayed it for me.

We're now one step closer to my dream

and hopefully it'll be our dream.

-Another tick for Australia.

-Yay!

Another clean sweep for Oz means Dave's once step closer

to being permanently reunited with his brother.

For him, a big part of Australia's appeal is a chance for his children

to have the same outdoors upbringing he experienced as a boy.

So, will a slice of the country's lifestyle prove another winner?

The family's day starts with a trip to a petting farm

and it's a chance for Sophie and Emily to get up close

with some farmyard creatures.

Or maybe not!

It's also a chance for Dad to practise his Aussie accent.

-G'day, Bruce.

-Mmmm...

The kids are loving it. You see they're happy.

Obviously, that makes us happy.

Dave's counting on a day in the sunshine opening Sam's eyes

to the life they could be leading.

'I'm hoping that Sam will start to see that sort of side of things'

and she realises it's not all about the money,

it's not just about the house, it's the fact we can do these things.

So, we're not restricted by the weather.

Hopefully, she'll start to realise there's more things to think about.

Heading for a stroll on the beach,

Sam admits on this trip the country has been winning her round.

I'm really, really liking Australia at the moment.

So, you know, I have thought about home, family and friends.

If we could bring all of them here then I'd come here tomorrow.

But you can't, so...

Dave's convinced the week's been working in his favour.

'So far, it's been very positive.

'She's actually chosen Australia for a few of the days.

'So, it's going very well in my eyes.'

I'm absolutely blown away by Australia

and what we're seeing this week.

The kids have loved it here so for me,

that's a major, a major factor for me.

You know, if I think about when we started talking about Australia

many years ago, every conversation was almost a flat out refusal.

So this week, just being over here has,

kind of, opened her eyes, I think, to the possibility.

But the reality of being half a world away from her mum

is playing on Sam's mind.

We might only see her...

..a handful of times before she's no longer around, so...

When you think of it like that, you have to think

whether or not it's worth it.

It's upsetting.

She won't get to experience our children's...

our children growing up.

It's always come back to Sam and her mum

and the fact, will she be able to do it?

I love her more than anything.

She's pretty much all I've got so...

But we've got a family now to think about so...

It's going to be hard and I know it'll be hard but I'm just hoping

that we've done enough this week to push her through that.

Sam faces an agonising choice between her mum

and her husband's dream come the end of the week.

But based on lifestyle...

It's now time to vote.

-BOTH:

-Australia!

-Wow! You voted for Australia, hon.

-Yep.

We just had a fantastic day, didn't we?

The girls had a fabulous time at the farm.

I think the major difference is the weather, obviously.

Just perpetual sunshine, we've got fantastic beaches

and just the fact you can do this every day of the year.

-I think the obvious answer was Australia.

-Wow, that's brilliant.

I can just seeing us doing this all the time.

It's good you voted as well. Excellent.

With the couple only breaking even in the UK,

will the finances down under help further Dave's cause?

Having bought their house in 2010 for £250,000,

the couple now believe it's worth around £325,000.

Will two local estate agents agree?

The lounge-diner's really bright and airy.

I really like the feature open fire, as do many buyers

in a house of this style.

-That's good to hear, isn't it?

-Yeah.

-Looks good, doesn't it?

-It does, actually.

OK, so here we are in the kitchen.

It's in fantastic order

so that's going to help the saleability in here.

-Promising.

-Wow.

It's tiny compared to this!

Won't take them long to walk round, compared to the houses we've seen.

Smaller landing.

The master bedroom's really bright and airy. Nice double room.

Here we are into the west-facing garden. It's in fantastic order.

-Looks nice.

-It does on a sunny day, doesn't it?

'Really like it, it's a real selling point.'

I would put the current market value of this property to be

between 345 and 350.

And for a quick sale, to be between 340 and 345.

I would put the current value of this property

at between 350,000 and 360,000.

And for a quick sale, we would market it

at 340,000 to 345,000.

The valuations peak at £35,000 more than the couple had hoped.

-Wow, that's shocking.

-Unbelievable.

-I had no idea it was worth that much money.

-No.

An encouraging start for Dave. But how would the Stones'

cost of living down under compare with the UK?

Moment of truth, hon. Do the numbers add up?

To find out,

we've provided a comparison of costs between the two countries.

First up, it's the weekly grocery shop.

-Glancing at that list, you're seeing...

-Lots of red.

-..about 70% of it is actually more expensive in Australia.

-Yeah.

Nappies, that's double.

-2.99...

-That's a problem.

-..pounds.

-That's 6.60 dollars.

-If we were to have a look at the ones that

were really cheap, £3.62 difference.

That's minced beef.

So, that's good to know.

So, we've got to eat lots of meat and no vegetables

to save a bit of money.

So, how does the weekly shop add up?

We'll be £21.72 pence worse off per week.

It's more expensive, so that's not massive per week.

-I'm really surprised by that. That's really, really reassuring.

-Me too.

-I'm really pleased about that.

-Yeah, it's not that bad at all.

£22 extra per week on groceries might not break the bank

but what about the bigger outgoings?

Let's start with the mortgage.

The couple base their calculations on house number one.

So, the UK's £850.40.

The Australian is 1,023.58.

That comes to £173.18 pence more expensive in Australia.

But for a much bigger house.

Dave's not worried

but Sam hits back with a reality check of her own.

At the moment, in our current financial situation,

we wouldn't be able to afford an extra £173 per month.

Factoring in the rest of the household bills...

OK, so that comes to £2,667.96

per month for the cost of living in Australia.

OK.

So, that is, at a glance, more expensive.

But let's try and work out the difference.

-So, £368.70 pence worse off per month in Australia.

-Mm.

I'll draw a sad face.

At the moment that figure is concerning

because we wouldn't be able to afford that lifestyle, would we?

The couple would spend £400 more every month.

Taking their Australian earnings into account,

the end result's positive, but only just.

Which would, yeah, give us a figure of £35.98.

So we'd be £35.98 better off...

As we are now in the UK.

If I returned to work we could potentially earn more out here.

But the cost of living is more.

I think it's really disappointing.

It's far from the result Dave was hoping for.

So based on finances, how will the couple vote?

-BOTH:

-Undecided.

The finances, you know, needed to add up in order for me

to vote Australia.

And they haven't so it's been disappointing.

It's not as straightforward as I thought it would be,

-so this day has not gone as according to plan.

-No.

After a successful start to the week,

Dave's 14-year-old dream could be beginning to unravel

and he's about to face his biggest hurdle.

While Sophie and Emily take a nap,

Sam and Dave sit down together to watch a DVD from loved ones back home.

Hi, Dave and Sam, it's the Daniels family here.

Hi, Dave. I've got a surprise for you.

It's a British bin for your rubbish ideas about going to Australia.

I hope you've not had too good a time and forgotten about us already.

My daughter, Sam, and I are very close.

I don't know why she wants to go to Australia.

She's got everything here.

We really don't want you to go so we vote that you don't move

to Australia and that you stay in the UK.

-BOYS:

-UK!

She's obviously got to do what's best for her family.

If, when she gets there, she feels that it's going to be a better

way of life for her

then she hasn't got to think about me.

She's got to do it. She's got to do what's best for her family.

She's got to put her family first.

I don't know why I'm crying.

I wouldn't see Sophie.

I think, even though they're really young, I think it would be sad

to think that they wouldn't grow up in the same way

that me and Sam have.

If Sam and the children go to Australia...

..I will miss them so, so, so much.

I can't even think about it.

I won't be able to kiss them, I won't be able to cuddle them.

Have a good life, whatever you decide.

No matter how much we here are going to miss you, you know

we'll always be there and we will see each other again.

I don't want you to go to Australia.

I will be absolutely distraught if you do.

I love you very much.

Please come home to me.

That was tough.

You think you might be better with these things

but right down, it's quite touching to be really loved.

It's the hardest part, isn't it?

Explain how much they're going to miss you.

Tough day.

-You OK?

-Yeah.

Ever since they met 12 years ago, Dave and Sam

have pictured their futures at opposite ends of the earth.

Now, after a decade of indecision,

Sam's about to face the dilemma she's been dreading,

having to choose between the bond she has at home

and green lighting her husband's dream.

Dave's all too aware of the impact messages from home

have had on his wife.

It's really been an amazing week

so it's just this last hurdle that's been a bit of a difficult one.

I'm hoping Sam can see past that hurdle and see what amazing things

we've done this week and reflect on that more than the negative today.

My head's swimming with loads of different factors.

There's lots of positives about Australia and...

But there's just the emotional factor

that I just can't get away from.

Sam knows what a vote for the UK would do to her husband.

I'll be shattering his dream.

He'll be devastated.

But she's equally aware what a move would mean to her mum.

She will be completely devastated, gutted.

There'd be a massive hole in her life.

As their final vote approaches, both Sam and Dave

are feeling the pressure.

'Right now, I'm feeling quite nervous.'

I can't really call how it's going to turn out.

But we've now got to the cliffhanger.

There are no more windows, this is literally the window shutting

so we need to make that decision now.

I genuinely don't know what I'm going to vote.

I'm just thinking so many things at the moment. Um...

I don't know what the answer's going to be.

After an amazing week in Australia, it's now time for the final vote.

-BOTH:

-Australia!

Australia? No?!

I know. I just decided right at the end.

You literally decided right at the end. That's unbelievable.

The friends and family video really put doubts in my mind.

Then I thought, you know, how it would feel if we didn't make

the move and perhaps regretting at least not trying.

I can see that the lifestyle's going to be fabulous out here.

We at least need to give it a go and see how things work out.

The fact that you chose Australia makes me realise

you're seeing the bigger picture here. That's amazing, well done.

Right, let's start planning to move to Australia.

-Hey!

-I want to go to the church, Mum.

-What church?

After a week of soul searching,

Sam's second trip down under has finally convinced her

to buy into her husband's dream of a new life in Australia.

All that remains now is to get packing.

We hope Sam, Dave, Sophie and Emily have a bright future

ahead of them in the Australian sun.