Jamieson Family Wanted Down Under

If you'd previously ditched the trip of a lifetime for the love of your

life, could you find yourself wondering "what if"?

But is it really possible to resurrect a dream of living on the

other side of the world when you've three children

and a husband all happy where they are?

Hedydd Jamieson is desperate to make Australia her home.

I'd live in a shed if it was here.

Husband Steve isn't so keen.

I don't want to make a wrong move and then think,

"Oh, what have we done?"

A trial week reveals what their life could be like...

It's been a lot nicer having time

to be with Mum and Dad.

..but is it enough to make Hedydd's dream come true?

I have got a battle on my hands. I've got a big battle.

Straddling the Pacific, Indian and Southern Oceans,

Australia's known the world over for its spectacular coastline.

Boasting more than 10,000 beaches,

over 85% of the population live within 30 miles of the sea,

so it's no surprise the country remains the number one destination

for British families seeking a new life in the sunshine.

Hedydd Jamieson has harboured dreams

of living in Australia for well over a decade.

Desperate to cast off the shackles

of running a restaurant with husband Steven,

she believes emigrating will help

them carve out more family time with their children.

Now, she has just one week to convince Steven to turn his

back on their business, and persuade oldest son Leon their life could be

better on the other side of the world.

To reach Brisbane, the Wales-based family

spend over 22 hours in the sky,

flying from Birmingham to Australia,

with stopovers in Dubai and Sydney.

And it was a very memorable trip, indeed.

The two kids had a chance to go up and sit with the captain

-on the way over, didn't you?

-That was amazing.

-Yeah.

You wore the hat, didn't you? Sat in the captain's chair?

Yeah, it was quite cool going in the cockpit, with all the stuff,

and, yeah.

But despite the excitement,

Steven remains cautious about the prospect of moving down under.

It is going to take quite a bit

to persuade me to come out to Australia.

I've got to be able to get a good job -

that's my main worry.

As the family head out into Brisbane,

Hedydd knows the next seven days

will be her best chance at getting the life she wants.

Meet the Jamiesons from Cardigan in Wales.

They're mum Hedydd, dad Steven,

nine-year-old Leon, Eli, age six,

and three-year-old Seth.

Good evening, Jamieson's Steak House.

As joint owners of a busy restaurant,

Hedydd and Steven spend more time together than most couples.

Have I got table ten's food, please?

It's an extra order on, so it'll be a couple of minutes.

'It's less of a marriage and it's more of a business partnership.'

All booked in for you.

And you are way too bossy as well.

Bye.

-PHONE BEEPS

-I know.

The couple first met when Hedydd began waitressing

in a restaurant where Steven was a chef

16 years ago.

But everything changed when, age 21,

she decided to swap her apron for an adventure in Australia.

Pretty much two weeks before going, that's it,

declared his undying love for me, said he couldn't live without me.

"Please don't go."

The idea of going to Australia

was kind of put on hold for a while then.

They opened the steak house seven years ago,

but juggling 70-hour weeks with looking after three children

is proving a recipe for disaster.

We've missed sort of Christmas and birthdays,

and if there's any occasion on, summer holidays,

we work right through.

It's quite hard going.

Hedydd is concerned about the effect their workload is having on her

relationship with the boys.

I feel as if I'm losing control of bringing them up.

Seth, be quiet, cos Mummy's talking on the phone.

'Because at the moment, even if the kids have been really ill,

'I am not at home to look after them.'

It's happened before. Eli's had asthma attacks, I've been in work,

ambulances have had to be called.

And, you know, I'm not there.

Steven shares Hedydd's anxiety.

They've got a great baby-sitter who looks after them,

but it's not the same as Mum and Dad

looking after them every night.

Am I a tiger?

-No.

-Am I a person?

Yes.

Oldest son Leon agrees.

I'd love to spend more time with my parents.

Desperate for change, Hedydd has served up a solution -

moving the family to the country she's dreamt of for over a decade.

It's got to be Australia - that's it, I've decided.

It's just gone like that now.

I can't see anything else.

For me, it's changing the lifestyle.

And being a little bit more relaxed.

Hedydd's got her sights set on the Gold Coast, but first,

she needs to get Steven onside.

Hedydd's planned it, and she's literally written it on one

little bit of paper. It's like, "Pack, plane, Australia."

Whereas I'm thinking, "How are we going to afford this?

"How are we going to find a house?

"How are we going to find a job?"

I've thought about all of the important stuff,

but I'm trying to put a positive spin on everything.

Her positively has paid off with the younger boys.

I'm really excited to go to Australia...

because I can get new friends.

I'm going there.

I'm going.

There's penguins there.

-What colour do you want?

-Blue.

But despite craving more time with his parents,

Leon's firmly on his dad's side.

I don't want to go because, like,

well, all my friends are here.

The thought of being separated from family is also painful.

I'll miss my grandparents, like, 100%.

Come here.

HE YELPS

Cor!

Who's the cutest one, do you think?

-That one.

-Yeah?

Knowing the boys are her parents' only grandchildren is the one

thing making Hedydd question the move.

I'm very torn -

I can't decide whether I'm being really selfish by making

this move to Australia,

or whether I am actually putting us as a family first.

Bye-bye.

-MOOING

-Bye-bye, calves.

Ultimately, though, she's desperate to address their situation,

and hopes the opportunity to show them what life in Australia

could be like will help her seal the deal.

Leon needs to see what he can get if we go there...

..and so does Steven.

This is the last chance for Hedydd now.

We've all got to be wanting to go, so...

it's going to take a little bit more convincing.

INAUDIBLE

The Jamiesons are visiting Australia's Gold Coast in the

State of Queensland. Their base for the week is in Mermaid Beach,

a coastal area just one hour south of Brisbane.

But will this five-bedroom house live up

to Hedydd's high expectations?

-Aw!

-This looks nice, doesn't it?

It's really cute.

-This is MY style, isn't it?

-HE LAUGHS

Yeah, yeah.

That's good, and the boys have spotted something they like, too.

-STEVEN LAUGHS

-What's that? what have you seen?

-The beach.

-The beach?

-ALL:

-Yeah.

-HEDYDD AND STEVEN:

-Oh, my God!

STEVEN LAUGHS

This is the dream.

Yeah.

Couldn't get closer if you tried.

Watching the children play gives Hedydd hope about

convincing Leon to move.

This week might do it.

When we talked about it before, he's like, "No,

"I don't want to leave my friends, I don't want to leave my school."

All the stuff I've been talking about,

he needs to be able to see it for himself.

But despite a positive start, Steven's still sitting on the fence.

We've got to be able to afford a lifestyle like this.

Steven, I'd live in a shed if it was here.

-Run here, this side.

-Go!

This side. This side.

What if we don't agree at the end of the week?

One of us has got to change our minds about what we're going to do.

-HEDYDD:

-It's nice.

This is nice, isn't it?

Back in the UK, the Jamiesons live in a converted schoolhouse

in the West Wales coastal town of Cardigan.

What we're sitting in now is one of the old classrooms.

But then this bit on the side is the headmaster's house,

so there's only two bedrooms upstairs,

and then we've converted one room downstairs into our bedroom.

They've worked hard to make it a home,

but Hedydd knows exactly what she's looking for down under.

I just want like a small, cutey beach house.

I've got it all in my head.

Steven, on the other hand, might be harder to please.

Four bedrooms, a large living room,

lots of outside space, and, hopefully, a swimming pool.

If they do move, the family's property budget

would be £350,000.

To see what their money could buy in Australia,

we'll show the Jamiesons three properties -

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

Only after they've viewed each one will they find out its value.

House-hunting begins in Currumbin Waters,

a southern suburb close to some of the best beaches on the Gold Coast.

With schools and amenities nearby,

this family-friendly area should offer the Jamiesons

the beach lifestyle Hedydd craves.

So that's nice.

But will this four-bedroom home be to their liking?

-It's quite cute, isn't it?

-Yeah, it looks nice.

Check out all of that over there.

Palm trees. What do you reckon, Seth?

-Do you like it here?

-Yeah.

-Eli?

-Yeah.

-STEVEN:

-Yeah?

-It looks nice, does it?

-STEVEN LAUGHS

Let's go and check it out, see what it looks like.

Let's go in.

Location's winning - what about inside?

I didn't really know what to expect, really, yeah. I quite like it.

And Steven?

It's nice - it's done up nice,

it looks nice - it's not that big, though, is it?

But I don't like big houses - not too big.

-Think of all the cleaning.

-SHE LAUGHS

No comment?

But Steven's not convinced.

As the kids get bigger,

they're going to be taking over the house,

and this will be not big enough in here.

Hmm.

This is cute.

Moving on, the spacious kitchen could help.

It's not so small now.

No. I didn't realise it was going to open out.

I think I could manage with this-size kitchen.

It's not massive, but it's enough.

-Where do you want to go, Seth?

-Left!

Husband sorted,

Hedydd turns her attention to Leon.

Definitely a boy's room.

What, yours, is it?

-Your room? That's good.

-OK.

Are we starting to convince you, or what?

-Mm, a bit.

-STEVEN LAUGHS

It's an easier sell to little Seth.

Oh, look. That's my toys.

-HEDYDD:

-They're your toys? I don't think they're yours.

It's MY bedroom.

-This is your bedroom?

-Yeah.

-The toys might have swung it for Seth.

-Yeah.

The master bedroom gets a big thumbs up.

Oh!

This would be Mum and Dad's room.

Walk-in wardrobe.

Do you reckon I'd get all my clothes in there, Steven?

-Yeah, probably.

-I don't know where you'd put yours.

And it's a room with a view.

-What's out in the garden?

-There's a view of the swimming pool.

That's really nice.

Wow!

Look.

Outside, they get a better look.

That is quite a nice pool.

-It's huge.

-SETH:

-I'm going to go in there.

-You want to go in there?

-Yeah.

Steven's beginning to see real potential.

Yeah, it'd be a nice area,

cooking out here, having friends over, barbecue.

You would be cooking me my dinner whilst I'm relaxing

-in the pool?

-Yeah.

Sounds perfect.

An outhouse gives Hedydd even more ideas...

Oh, my God! What's this?

This could be like our little bar area by the pool.

..and adds fuel to her fight for life down under.

Yeah, is it big enough for three boys now?

It's quite big inside.

I know.

Hedydd might have Steven onboard for now,

but the couple need to find out if their £350,000 budget

could buy a place like this.

-Right.

-OK.

If it's around the 300, that's a good price, and...

-affordable.

-I'm going to say 330.

Eli, do you want to turn it over?

-Ooh.

-Ooh, it was under my guess.

-SHE LAUGHS

That's £24,000 under budget.

I feel OK about the price.

I can sense you're not so happy.

-Well, I was hoping...

-The cheaper the better, but...

I was hoping it was going to be less.

It may be affordable, but Steven clearly wants

to see more for his money.

Hopefully, property two can deliver what he's after.

Staying in Currumbin Waters,

the family don't have far to go to find out.

Will this four-bedroom house in its own secluded grounds

be the one to get Steven excited about a move?

-This is different, isn't it?

-This is really different.

It's like being in the jungle, isn't it?

HE LAUGHS

How much wildlife do you reckon is round here?

HE LAUGHS

Hedydd sounds unsure,

but it doesn't stop them going in for closer inspection.

Oh, my.

-HEDYDD:

-Oh!

It's amazing. That's more like it.

The boys like what they see.

Can I go on that?

Oh, there's a slide there. Yeah.

While the younger boys play,

Hedydd tests the water with Leon.

Check out this pool.

I don't know who would have more fun on that, you or me.

That looks cool.

-Feels a bit more like a family home, doesn't it...?

-Yeah.

..from the outside geared up for kids, and they'd be happy.

-They'd be out here all the time, wouldn't they?

-Yeah.

Heading inside, Mum and Dad explore what else the house offers.

Hmm.

It's looking out over the garden, which is quite good.

So at least if the boys are out playing...

It's got big windows, big doors going outside.

Nice and open.

And the kitchen?

I think it needs a bit of updating, maybe.

We'd change it around a little bit.

Lick of paint. And a clean-up, cos you know what I'm like.

Just like, "Oh."

Upstairs, Steven's unimpressed with the family bathroom.

Bit of modernisation in here, I think.

Mind you, we can't really comment -

-our bathroom at home needs a new bathroom...

-Yeah.

-..doesn't it?

Hedydd sidesteps Steven's negativity

until she spots an issue in the master bedroom.

Hmm.

Yeah? Master bedroom.

Look at the dust.

-I know. I mean, that's...

-Oh, my God.

Well, maybe... Maybe these people are too busy loving life...

-Yeah.

-..to be worrying about their house.

-Yeah.

It's a fair point...

-Needs a new en suite.

-Yeah.

..but things look better from the balcony.

-It's definitely like a proper family home, isn't it?

-Yeah.

The outside area's great.

The kids are really happy, aren't they?

Yeah.

The house has evoked mixed reactions,

but the couple are still keen to find out how much it costs.

I know it needs a little bit of work doing,

but I think it's going to be 350, if not a bit more.

I'm saying 340. Do you want to turn it over?

-OK, then.

-Who's going to be the winner?

-Oh.

-SHE EXHALES

That's almost £20,000 over budget.

-That's a lot.

-SHE LAUGHS

That's not going to sway me to move to Australia.

Maybe the next house will be more our taste.

With Hedydd staying positive,

the family swap coastal living

for the rural suburb of Maudsland.

With nearby schools, parks and access to major road links,

it's a popular location for families

seeking more bang for their buck.

Ooh, this is the house here.

-This is all right, isn't it?

-Yeah, it's a nice, yeah, nice street.

But will this three-bedroom house have enough scope

to be the Jamiesons' dream home?

Ah.

-Yeah, nice, big entrance.

-Open and airy.

-Feels really nice.

-SETH:

-Yeah.

It's a good start.

Bedroom here.

-This is nice.

-Yeah.

Oh, check that out.

-Yeah, that's nice, isn't it?

-Yeah, I love this.

This is Mum's style of bathroom.

What's behind this door?

There's enough room in this walk-in wardrobe for you

to actually play toys.

-I don't want to be stuck in here.

-This could be like a tropical birdhouse.

HEDYDD LAUGHS

Quite right, Seth!

-Do you want to go outside and have a look?

-See what's out there?

Go on, then. You boys go outside.

Mum and Dad are going to carry on looking at the house.

OK?

Do you like this living area?

Yeah. It all kind of just flows into one.

-It's got nice...

-Cos from here,

all you can see is the little water fountain running into the pool.

It's quite relaxing.

This house has the chilled-out vibe

Hedydd's been looking for.

-I love it.

-Yeah.

-Let's check out this kitchen a bit more.

-Yeah.

-Kitchen's nice.

-It's literally got its own little wash-up area.

-Yeah.

It's like being in work, isn't it?

Not sure that's a good thing, Hedydd!

-Oh!

-Wow, you got, like, a little snug.

I don't know if I'd use this for something different, though.

Maybe a playroom for the kids?

Toys would be spilling out onto there, making a mess.

Hedydd has a better idea.

You could easily make it into another bedroom.

-You could put a door up here...

-Yeah.

-..couldn't you?

-Yeah.

And outside...

Mm-hm!

That's really nice, isn't it? Like a bit of that.

-Nice? Better than nice.

-Yeah, yeah.

You'd be eating out here in the evening, getting in that pool.

-You're going to be spending half your time out here.

-Outside, yeah, it's lovely, isn't it?

This house has ticked a lot of boxes,

but can they afford it with their £350,000 budget?

It's going to be a lot, I think.

-What do you reckon?

-I reckon about 400.

It might be even more.

-Yeah. It does look that.

-I reckon 410.

Shall we have a look and see what it is?

Seth. Going to turn it over?

-STEVEN:

-Yes

-HEDYDD LAUGHS

Beauty!

-Wow, that's a shock.

-High five.

-That is a shock.

-Happy days.

It's well within budget.

I was thinking it was going to be a lot more than that.

It's because we're away from the coast.

It's got to be, hasn't it? How do you feel now?

-Well, if we can get a house...

-You're the one that needs convincing, not me.

If we can get a house like that for that kind of price,

then that's going to make a difference.

Mum and Dad are pleased, but Leon's not budging.

Well, the house is nice, but I'd still want to live in Wales.

-Why?

-Because of all my friends.

Leon's not buying it, but all-in-all,

house-hunting has given the family plenty of food for thought.

Property one was below budget,

but even with a pool,

Steven wasn't convinced it offered value for money.

Coming in over budget,

the grounds of property two wowed,

but it bit the dust for Hedydd when the

interiors failed to impress.

Although more inland,

the final house of the day was

a hit with both Steven and Hedydd,

and discovering it was affordable was a real bonus.

So how will the family vote when it comes to choosing between

property in Australia and the UK?

We've had a fab day looking at houses today.

All three different properties.

Based on that, we are going to vote for...

-ALL:

-Australia!

HEDYDD SQUEALS

Australia!

Australia? Australia, everybody?

You chose Australia?

-Yeah.

-Well, the houses are a lot bigger out here and, well,

there's swimming pools.

How come you chose Australia?

Being here a couple of days now, seeing a few of the houses,

they all seem really nice.

I could have lived in any of those houses.

OK, maybe not the middle one!

A clean sweep of votes for Australia means Hedydd's dream of a new life

on the other side of the world hasn't been washed out to sea.

But that could all change if Steven can't be convinced

he'll find work down under.

Back in the UK, the couple run a steak house

in their hometown in Wales.

Our restaurant does take over our life.

It's unavoidable.

Everything's got to fit around work, and that's how it goes.

Hedydd is the restaurant manager, while chef Steven heads up a

busy kitchen and puts in long hours.

Anything from nine, ten o'clock in the morning,

and work till midnight most nights.

In the busy times, that's seven days a week.

Variable income and a work-life imbalance

are some of the pitfalls of being a business owner,

and Hedydd's ready to give it the chop.

If I had my choice I would go off and do what I do now, but do it

for somebody else,

so that when I've finished work, that's it -

I can switch off, go home.

But she knows securing the future she wants is dependent

on convincing her husband he'll be able to find work down under.

We've got to find Steven the right job.

If we can't find him the right job,

I don't think he's going to be willing to go.

While the boys are looked after by a childminder,

the couple set about exploring work options

on the Gold Coast, and Steven's fearful about the day ahead.

I'm a little worried about my age,

and they might be looking for younger candidates for jobs.

We've arranged for Steven to meet up with expat and manager Nick Owens

at a surf club in Burleigh Heads,

around nine miles from the Gold Coast central business area.

-Hi, Steve.

-Hiya.

-Nice to meet you, mate, I'm Nick.

-Welcome to the Burleigh Surf Club.

-Thank you.

Steven cuts straight to the chase.

What do you think, then, obviously, my age now, because I'm 47?

Mate, seriously, I'd probably favour that, myself.

-You've probably got a family, you know?

-Yeah.

You get a bit of commitment for them.

-But, mate, I reckon you're in the prime of your life, mate!

-Yeah?

HE LAUGHS

Reassured, Steven asks about shift patterns.

-It is a lot of nights, and the weekends are mainly work.

-Right.

-You know, the place is busy.

-Yeah.

Doing evenings and weekends is what Steven hopes to avoid,

but he's still keen to find out how many hours

he'd work in a typical week.

40 hours - you get your four weeks annual leave,

and you holiday pay and all the sick pay and all that,

-so it's not too bad.

-Yeah, that's good.

You know, a busy night here, you're still done and dusted by,

the chefs, 9:30.

Even working evenings, Steven's hours would drop substantially.

Meanwhile, further along the coast,

Hedydd is meeting chef and business owner

Luke Turner at a deli restaurant in Southport.

-Hi.

-Hi.

-Hedydd, how are you?

-Hedydd.

-Nice to meet you.

-You OK?

-Yeah, good to see you.

-Good.

Used to being her own boss,

Hedydd wants to know what a role here would entail.

We're looking for leaders.

We're looking for people that can organise a group

and be organised themselves.

Sounds good, but the deal-breaker for Hedydd will be the hours.

The minimum standards are 38 hours, and five days a week.

-Yeah, that's part-time!

-Very much part-time.

THEY LAUGH

It's normally six till four,

or you might do nine till close.

-What kind of time do you close?

-We're open six till six.

It's the daytime hours Hedydd dreams of.

All she needs to know now is how much she could earn.

We'd look at an average salary for a restaurant manager

-around 65-70.

-OK.

-That's all right?

-Yeah.

Sounds pretty good.

That's up to £37,000 annually,

a hike on her most recent earnings of £25,000.

And even better news, there's plenty of work available.

At the moment, it's a very...very much a skills shortage area.

The way that we overcome that is by looking for sponsorship.

We have about... I think we have nine sponsored staff

on the books, between chefs and restaurant managers

and people with your sort of experience

don't come along every day.

-Happy days.

-HE LAUGHS

Hedydd's delighted, but it's not cause for celebration just yet.

I'm just nervous on how Steven gets on now, really.

It doesn't matter how good a day I've had,

if he isn't happy later on, that's it.

Back at the surf club, Steven asks the all-important question.

What kind of salary do you think I could get?

Around 65-70 grand.

That's the kind of figure I think I'd be expecting to pay.

-That's good.

-Yeah?

-That sounds good.

-Yeah.

That sounds really good.

Stephen would be guaranteed £37,000

per year, and would no longer face seasonal changes

to his income as a restaurant owner.

If you were thinking of making a move,

being a chef, I think, you know,

you're coming to the right place, you really are.

I think you won't look back, mate. Looks good, doesn't it?

-NICK LAUGHS

-Yeah, it sounds good, yeah.

It's been a great day work-wise for the couple, and when they reunite

on the beach, they're delighted at each other's news.

-OK?

-Yeah, it's good. How did you get on?

So the guy I met actually does sponsor people in,

-and he's, like, crying out for restaurant managers.

-Yeah.

Salary was between 65 and 70.

38 hours a week.

And that was just daytime.

My job was like part-time.

Like, it's 38-40 hours.

Again, 65-70,000.

-You see? I told you.

-Yeah.

So when it comes to choosing between jobs at home or away,

what will the couple go for?

We've had our work day now, which we've both enjoyed,

and we both learned a lot of things.

And with that in mind, we're now going to vote.

Australia.

Joke! Australia.

SHE LAUGHS

-Ooh-ooh!

-CHEERING

-THEY LAUGH

-Wa-hey!

-We've got some friends already, you see?

-Hey, we've got friends!

Encouraged by work prospects down under,

Steven's second vote for Australia suggests he's developing

an appetite for Hedydd's dream.

Desperate for more family time together,

she's now hopeful a serving of the laid-back lifestyle

the country's famed for will give them all a further taste

of what life could be like down under.

Making the most of rare time together,

the family are spending their day at one of the Gold Coast's

landmark spots, Burleigh National Park,

just four miles from their base in Mermaid Beach.

To begin, the children burn off some energy at an oceanfront play park.

Next up, a mountain walk.

After a busy morning, the family kick back at Tallebudgera Creek.

-That looks cool, doesn't it?

-Oh! Nice!

It's been a welcome opportunity to have quality time with the boys,

but Steven's also used the day to reflect on the potentially

life-changing decision he faces come the end of the week.

Hedydd seems to think, yes, we can move,

and it'll just all fall into place.

I think, "What can go wrong?"

And we are going slightly different directions with that.

Despite his earlier votes for Australia,

Hedydd knows he's wavering.

Every time I think I've got somewhere with him,

he'll turn around and he's got something else to say,

and suddenly he doesn't seem so keen.

I have got a battle on my hands.

I've got a big battle.

-STEVEN:

-Ready?

Fortunately for her,

today's chance to hang out as a family

could be winning Leon over.

It's been a lot nicer having time to be

with Mum and Dad, rather than them

just working all the time.

I don't really get to see them much.

Makes me feel a bit sad.

They're all together now,

but will everyone be united come the end of the week?

Meanwhile, has the day done enough to convince them of the

lifestyle Australia can offer?

We've had a lovely day today on the beach and in the National Park.

And based on that, we've decided to vote for...

-ALL:

-Australia!

-Maybe not. Australia!

-LAUGHTER

-STEVEN:

-You want to go to Australia?

I like swimming.

-You like swimming, yeah?

-Yeah.

Eli, you want Australia?

-Yeah.

-You like it today?

-Have a good day?

-Yeah, it's very nice.

You liked it? So why did you choose Australia?

-I chose Australia because it's a lot nicer and hotter...

-Yeah?

..and there's more family time as well,

so I can spend times with you guys.

Are you coming round to my way of thinking?

A little bit. Still got some worries, but, yeah, it was good.

Steven, it's better than good.

The week so far has gone Hedydd's way,

but to keep Steven invested in her dream,

she knows the finances will have to stack up.

If they do move,

the couple plan to sell their home, and believe it to be worth

around £350,000.

To see if they're right, we sent two estate agents round.

And back at base, while the younger boys play,

the rest of the family sit down to watch the results.

So this is obviously a lovely room.

Nice double-height space.

Real nice picture windows.

Real wood flooring. Yeah, real credit to the house.

-You missing that now?

-No.

No?

This is a really nice kitchen.

I think it's got a country theme that people will like.

Think it's very appealing.

Good-size master bedroom.

Oh, there's our bedroom. Oh, no.

Nice feature fireplace.

The only small drawback I can see is probably

that it comes off the kitchen.

Wow. This is a fantastic room.

Particularly love the vaulted ceiling and the exposed beams.

I think this is a wow factor room, ideal for families.

I think everybody will really love this room.

Good-size family bathroom.

-Oh, no, the bathroom.

-SHE LAUGHS

Could probably do with some updating.

In the current property market, I value this property at £320,000.

If they wanted a quick sale,

they'd probably have to come below the £300,000 to £290,000.

Oh.

I would value this property at £270,000.

-What?!

-SHE LAUGHS

But if the owner would like a quicker sale,

I would advise £249,950.

What did you think about that, then?

I'm thinking I'm not going to use the second estate agent!

No, no.

I mean, we can't afford to sell it at that price.

-No.

-You know?

No.

With the valuations lower than expected,

the couple now need to consider the costs involved in making a move.

-Let's do it, then, shall we?

-I really hope this is going to

work in my favour.

To help, we've provided a breakdown of living expenses,

starting with the weekly grocery shop.

Biscuits, tiny bit more expensive.

But you need to cut back on biscuits anyway.

I don't eat biscuits.

OK(!)

Red wine gone for you.

Totting up the sums reveals their groceries would be just over

£3 more down under.

-It's literally the same.

-Yeah.

Next, they look at the bigger bills,

starting with the mortgage repayments,

and basing figures on the third property they viewed.

Our mortgage payment at home is 900,

and that one here is 1,788.

Hedydd's determined to balance things out.

-There's obviously no heating oil.

-No heating costs.

Heating oil costs us a lot at home, doesn't it?

-Oof! Nursery costs.

-Yeah.

-So that's set.

-But it's not forever.

-Yeah.

Once he can start school, it'll be gone.

A quick calculation of the figures reveals what they'd pay

on monthly bills.

It costs us, to live in Australia,

£509.59 more a month.

-The biggest one there's the mortgage...

-Yeah.

but you're getting something out of that, so that's fine.

Next, they look at income,

and discovered they'd bring home almost £1,700 more per month.

-Less hours, and you're making more money.

-Making more money, so...

..it's a win-win, really.

Even with higher outgoings,

the final sums show they'd be better off

by over £1,000 every month down under.

-I think I'm winning here.

-Yeah, I'm a bit shocked with it, really.

But, um, it's good, yeah.

If we know we're secure financially,

that's something we never have to worry about any more.

Yeah, well, it's a big thing to actually come out to Australia,

so I'm still worried about that a little bit.

First priority,

keep your wife happy, and everything else will fall into place.

Yeah, maybe start with something a bit easier then.

It's been a great result for Hedydd,

but when it comes to the vote,

will it be enough to keep her and Steven on the same page?

We've looked at all the costs and the figures

of moving out to Australia.

And with that in mind we have now decided to vote for...

-BOTH:

-Australia!

-Woohoo. Clean run so far.

-Yeah.

It was a bit of a shock for me to see some of those figures.

-You were shocked, were you?

-I was really shocked.

-Huh.

-Yeah.

Knowing they'd thrive financially down under

has brought Hedydd closer to the life

she's been dreaming of for her family.

But for husband Steven to go the distance,

the emotional cost of a move has to be considered, too.

The whole family sit down to watch messages from loved ones.

-OK?

-Boys, we're going to watch the friends and family videos now.

-Shall we watch it?

-Yes.

-ALL:

-'Hi.'

Hi, Hedydd. Hi, Steven. Hi, boys.

-Hi, guys.

-Hello.

Hedydd and Steven, and the boys.

-VOICE BREAKS:

-We hope that you're enjoying...

Sorry.

Oh, she's started already?

Hedydd's always up to something.

Always has to be a sort of, shall we say, centre of attention?

SHE GASPS

-Hedydd's a nutter.

-Yeah. The moment I first met her,

I almost, like,

turned around and walked the other way.

-Oh, Dan!

-I'd have to put up with that for the rest of my life.

She just doesn't stop talking.

You can't go over there for a five-minute chat, or a visit.

It's going to be hours.

She's funny though, she's crazy.

Steven is the quieter one.

-ALL:

-Yeah.

-Very organised,

very good in the kitchen.

-HEDYDD'S MUM:

-The boys are just lovely.

Leon, in particular, is very caring and looks after Eli and Seth.

I think because he thinks he's responsible when Mum's not there.

So he's very good.

-HEDYDD'S SISTER:

-I don't think Mum and Dad would cope

if they moved away. Initially, I'd probably have to be here.

I think she'd be, particularly Mum,

would be uncontrollable.

They want to be selfish and say, "Don't go."

But at the same time, they also want them to have that quality of life.

And if it has to be in Australia, then it has to be in Australia.

Yeah.

-HEDYDD'S DAD:

-Yes, if they did go, I'd be lost for quite a while

wondering what they're up to.

Because we do see them every weekend.

Whilst you can Skype and FaceTime and all this,

it's not the same as having a cuddle and, you know, a kiss,

and having them sit in your lap and read to them.

And, um...

and seeing them just grow up.

-I think it would be difficult if they went.

-It would be.

-Yeah, that goodbye would be horrible, wouldn't it?

-Yeah.

-OTHER SISTER:

-Oh, I can't even think about saying goodbye to them.

-No.

SHE EXHALES SHARPLY

-THEY LAUGH

-Don't!

SHE EXHALES SHARPLY

Yeah, no, be too hard.

But they might have an amazing life out there.

Well, if I've learned one thing,

you've got one life,

so just grasp it whilst you can.

Just go for it, go for it.

Going to miss you loads.

It'll be great, it's an amazing opportunity.

I hope you haven't enjoyed yourselves too much, in a way.

I know we'll miss you, especially Katrin, yeah?

But she's having difficulty speaking at the moment.

We know you'll come up with the right decision...

and, um...

we'll see you when you come back.

What's that like now, watching the video now

and seeing everybody from home?

It makes it feel a lot different, because I haven't really been

thinking about it. But now, because I've seen that,

it makes me feel a lot more...

Yeah. Eli, what did you think?

Well, because they miss us,

I'd stay here for like...

for like two weeks.

-Yeah?

-No.

-You wouldn't want to stay here forever, though, would you?

No?

No? Seth, what about you?

I want to stay fo-addo.

You want to stay forever?

-Yeah.

-OK.

How did you find that?

I knew it was going to be tough,

and most of your family don't want us to go, so...

It makes me feel guilty.

You know...

my mum and dad there obviously don't want us to go.

It wouldn't change my mind, though.

I can't really just stay home just for them.

You know, I feel selfish in a way, but at the same time,

I'm thinking about what's best for us.

So we just have to work out what's more important in the end, isn't it?

Yeah.

Heartfelt messages from loved ones in the UK

haven't shaken Hedydd's resolve,

but the reality of being so far from family and friends in Wales

has hit home with Leon and Eli.

As the final vote approaches,

could their doubts about saying goodbye

see Hedydd's Australian dream put back on ice?

After a trial week in the country with her family,

Australia surpassed Hedydd's expectations.

Australia's been everything I dreamed of and hoped of

and a little bit more.

And she's not the only one who's enjoyed it.

Even Leon, who's been dead set against it, has loved all of it.

Spending time with Mum and Dad was really nice,

and having nice weather for once.

'The more every day goes on,

'there's more and more pluses for coming out there.'

Just seeing the kids happy and being able to do things outside.

But for all his positivity,

Steven's still finding it hard to come to a decision.

I don't want to...

sort of make a wrong move, and then think, "Oh, what have we done?"

And the distance from home is playing on everyone's mind.

Watching the friends and family video made me feel

really sad, and it's been really up and down for me this week.

I suppose I have to decide, at the end of it,

what's more important to our children. Whether it's...

..me and Steven having a better work-life balance,

or my family are nearby.

It's the only thing holding me back.

This is the biggest thing we've ever had to decide as a family.

One question looms large -

will the family decide their destiny lies at home or away?

We've had a lovely week in Australia,

and we are going to vote for...

THEY DELIVER MIXED DECISION

Oh, you're such a copycat, Eli.

I thought you loved it?

I chose UK because I'll miss friends and family.

-I changed my mind.

-You changed your mind?

-Yeah.

-Yeah?

You've chosen Australia now?

-Yeah.

-Yeah?

-Good boy.

-Yeah. Australia, then, it is?

-Yeah.

Well, I had to choose it,

now we've actually been here and seen what there is here.

Good job.

Having halted Hedydd's Australian plans once before,

it looks like Steven is finally ready

to make his wife's dream come true.

All they need to do now is get Leon onboard, too.

On whichever side of the world they end up,

we wish the Jamiesons good health

and every happiness for their future.