Lancelott Family Wanted Down Under

If you genuinely believe moving to the other side of the world

would afford you more time with the people you love,

but half of your family disagree,

how would you go about persuading them to uproot

and start again almost 10,000 miles from home?

The Lancelotts are struggling to balance work and family life.

It's very much eat, sleep, rave, repeat, except there's no raving.

Mum Amanda knows things need to change.

I don't want to get to 70 and go,

"Oh, we only, sort of, saw each other for 35 of those years.

She's convinced a move down under could be the answer.

Most of the lifestyle I dream about,

more for the girls than anything else.

But when the figures don't add up...

It's pouring down a real cloud, now.

..will Amanda's Australian dream be a wash-out?

With around a quarter of its 23 million population born overseas,

Australia's the top destination for those seeking a new life abroad.

Promising sun, sea and a laid-back lifestyle, it's easy to see why

but moving doesn't work out for everyone

and of the 34,000 Brits who flock there every year,

almost half end up returning to the UK.

Amanda Lancelott dreams of more quality time

with her family and, despite never having been,

believes Australia's the place to turn her vision into a reality.

But with husband Dave and oldest daughter Morgan far from certain,

will a week down under be enough to convince them to uproot

their entire lives and start again on the other side of the world?

The Lancelotts' trial week begins with more than 22 hours in the air

to get to Brisbane on the east coast of Australia -

a journey they won't forget in a hurry.

-We started...

-At Hooton and then we went to Chester

and then we went to Heathrow.

Heathrow to Dubai on a plane and then Dubai to...

-Sydney.

-And then Sydney to...

-Brisbane.

-To Brisbane.

-You think,

"Yeah, it's just a few flights" but actually, it's like, miles away.

Now she's here, though,

Amanda's very clear about her expectations for the week ahead.

I said the other day, to all of us, and we were saying

what are you most looking forward to the most?

And the girls went, I know what you're going to say before you even say it -

"More time as a family", and I said, "Absolutely."

I think everything else is really superficial to me.

Dave won't be quite so easily pleased.

It's jobs for me. I've said that from day one.

If the job's not out here, there's no point in coming out here.

But he's prepared to keep an open mind.

You could come here and you could hate it and I could love it. It could be roles reversal

-at the end of the week. So...

-Yeah.

We just need to see whether the card gets turned, or not.

The next seven days could be life-changing,

as the family set out on a journey

which could determine on which side of the world their future lies.

Meet the Lancelotts - mum Amanda,

dad Dave,

Morgan, who's 12, and ten-year-old Naomi.

They live in the village of Hooton in Cheshire.

Come here, boys. Come here.

It's the perfect setting for family life,

but things aren't quite as they should be.

It's very much eat, sleep, rave, repeat,

except there's no raving.

We don't spend enough time together as a family at all.

Amanda's a teacher and Dave works in car manufacturing,

but his constant shift patterns

have taken their toll on family life.

We spend at most an hour together in the morning,

and then I go to work and by the time I come back,

-you've gone to work.

-Yeah.

And then it's bedtime before Dave comes home.

I never really get to see him

except when he takes me to school, or picks me up.

He works weekends as well.

So out of three weeks we have one week together,

which I would say is family time.

Desperate for more, Amanda believes their life

would be vastly improved by moving down under.

I know it seems a bit extreme

to move to the other side of the world to make change,

but I don't want to get to 70 and go,

"Oh, we only sort of saw each other for 35 of those years."

Because that's what it is like the moment.

Dave's used to her talking about emigrating.

Amanda's always wanted to go to Australia,

ever since we've been together.

Inspired by friends already living the dream,

she's convinced the country offers everything they need.

Keeping in touch with them, it's kind of gone, "Yeah, I want that."

The weather, jobs, family life, be by the sea.

Definitely, Australia.

But Dave doesn't share the vision.

It's a pipe dream. I've said before, it's like Amanda's little bubble.

Having worked hard to provide a stable family life in the UK,

he's reluctant to gamble everything

on a country he's never even been to.

I want to say yes, but it's Amanda's dream.

But there's something up here and I don't know what it is, saying no.

And it's not just Dave questioning the move.

Amanda's dream has split the family down the middle.

There's like a balancing scale at the moment,

there's me and Naomi on one side.

I really do want to move to Australia.

And then there's Dave and Morgan on the other side.

I really don't want to move to Australia, at all.

They're very, very different in their opinions

about moving to Australia.

But, ultimately, we're doing it for the greater good for all of us

and not just one of us.

Dave's agreed to a trial week

and Amanda knows everything will have to fall into place,

or a move's a nonstarter.

The big concern for Dave would be work.

If it's not there, it's not going to give you the lifestyle

and if the lifestyle's not there, there's no point moving.

Amanda's also aware getting the life she dreams of

will come at a huge cost as moving would mean leaving her ailing mum.

She's been really poorly and I think within the last two years,

-we've been told about ten times...

-Yeah.

..that, you know...

-Come and say goodbye, sort of thing.

-Yeah.

-All right?

Dave worries his wife hasn't thought things through.

It will be hard for Amanda to say goodbye to her mum.

She's lived with her all her life.

But Amanda's resolute it's now or never.

We're going to get to an age where it's not possible for us to go

and it's going to be harder for the children to go

because they're going to be even older.

And, sometimes, you just have to look at where we are going

and I don't want a life of regrets.

Never having set foot in Australia,

the family now face a week to decide, once and for all,

where their future lies.

Being out there could totally change me mind and I could be,

"Yeah, let's just do it."

Or it could be, actually, no.

If we go to Australia this week and it doesn't work out, is that it?

Is the Australia dream over?

Yeah.

The Lancelotts are spending their trial week in Queensland.

Home to over four and a half million people,

it's the second largest state in Australia

and the third most populated area.

The final leg of the family's journey takes them

to the suburb of Mudgeeraba,

50 miles south of Brisbane on the Gold Coast.

This two-bedroom property is home for the week,

so what will they make of it?

From the outside, not my property.

Not much by the sounds of it.

Don't judge a book by its cover, as they say.

Come on then, let's have a look.

That's more like it!

Ah, what do you think to that? Totally different now, isn't it?

-Whoa!

-Not what you expected?

No.

-I like that.

-Same.

Amanda's gone quiet.

I don't like it, because it's so dark outside with the bushes

that it makes it feel dark inside

and the kitchen isn't a kitchen.

I would not give up my house in the UK for this, no.

It's not quite the start she was hoping for.

As a dream, really,

it's got to live up to all the expectations

that I need it to be in order for it to be a realistic dream

and not a pipe dream.

Even if the houses, the jobs, the weather, everything fell into place,

I don't know whether I can still say, "Yes, I definitely want to go."

We'll see at the end of the week.

I will never talk to you again if you say no.

This week needs to show us

that we'll have a lot more family time together.

Is that what you want, is it?

-OK. We'll see then, won't we?

-Yeah?

-Yeah?

Things will need to improve in the next few days

if Amanda's vision for the future's ever to become a reality.

Back in the UK, home for the Lancelotts

is a three-bedroom semi in Cheshire.

Nice house but needs a lot of work to it.

If I'd stayed in the UK I don't think I'd move

because I don't know where I'd move to.

-That is as good as this.

-Yeah.

The family have mixed opinions

on their aspirations for a home down under.

Ideally, what I'd like is...

Amanda's little bubble again.

Quite a bit of land so that we have the facility, if we wanted to,

to have a pool and horses.

-Horses.

-I do not like horses.

They're really scary.

I really, really would like a horse.

-She wants something she can't have.

-Mmm...

Opinions are also divided on what style of house they're looking for.

I like lots of space and things nice and tidy

but you just like clutter and olde worlde.

One thing they agree on, though, is a decent sized kitchen.

We spend a lot of time as a family in the kitchen

because our time together is limited,

so it tends to be around dinner time, doesn't it?

Everyone sits around the table.

If they do move they'd be looking to spend a maximum of £300,000

on an Australian property.

I don't want to overstretch our budget

because the whole point of us going

is that we have a better lifestyle together.

To give the family an idea

of what their money could buy on the Gold Coast,

we're showing them three properties.

Two close to budget

and one which should be everything they're looking for in a dream home.

House-hunting begins in Cedar Creek.

Just a half-hour drive south of Brisbane,

this suburb has a semirural feel and with plenty of open fields,

there's lots of opportunities for horse riding,

which should please at least half the family.

What will they make of this wood-clad Aussie home?

That is nice.

All that view. Smiling now.

First impressions are good.

-Love that door.

-It's nice.

That's nice. I'm worried.

-That's nice.

-That's nice.

-That's nice.

-That's nice.

-I like that.

-That's really nice.

-That's nice, isn't it?

-I think they like it!

You could just move straight in and you wouldn't have to touch a thing.

Dave's matter-of-fact about the sleeping quarters.

It's got a bed and wardrobe, what more do you want?

Right. This will be...

..bedroom number two.

Same size as next door.

See if you can find another one.

At the moment, there's only two beds.

The kitchen's just what they were hoping for.

Nice and bright and airy.

Love the sink. Cooker.

-Yeah.

-Wine rack.

Nice views outside, you've got a decking area, as well,

straight out there.

The garden's got all the space they need.

Sit out here in the morning, plenty of land there, isn't there?

There is. Very.

Horses. Could easily have a paddock, couldn't you?

Yeah, easily.

I'm happy about this now.

See what's down there?

-Oh, a stable.

-The only problem is...

-Two bedrooms.

-There's only two bedrooms.

-I don't mind sharing a room with her.

-I do.

I'd just sleep with the horse.

The property may be short on space indoors

but outdoors just goes on and on.

Oh, my gosh!

So nice!

Pool, Jacuzzi.

Barbecue. This is the reason that you'd have a smaller bedroom.

You'd actually would only sleep in it.

Horses, land, pool, entertaining area.

What more do you need?

The house is very nearly a perfect fit for the Lancelotts

but will the price measure up to their £300,000 budget?

How much do you think it's worth?

I think it's worth, English pounds, about 325,000.

280, I reckon.

I'm not good with money so I'm not going to guess.

I don't know, I really don't.

-I don't want to guess.

-Go on!

No!

Spoilsport!

-Turn it over.

-Three, two, one...

I was closest.

Oh, my gosh.

Just over £2,500 under budget.

£297,400.

That's really good.

I don't know. For me, not enough bedrooms in the layout.

-Still in the budget.

-We'll see.

-We'll see.

Ready to go and see what the next one holds?

Come on, then.

Next up is the suburb of Tamborine.

Nestled in the Gold Coast hinterland,

this area is surrounded by natural beauty

and its village feel should appeal to the Lancelotts.

Will this five-bedroom Queenslander house work its charm?

-Yeah, like that.

-You're liking that?

Very quaint.

Bit more like where we live.

Not everyone's impressed, though.

-Do you not like it?

-No.

Why? No room for a horse.

-Porch.

-That's nice.

-Size of that. Now that's open plan.

-A bit dark.

Just in the door and Amanda's already giving it the thumbs down.

The ceilings are quite low.

You'd constantly need the lights on.

The kitchen's not what they're used to.

It is small, though, isn't it?

Yeah, it needs updating as well.

-At the moment, our kitchen's like the hub of the home.

-Yeah.

This wouldn't be the hub of the home.

But, elsewhere, things start to look up.

Yeah, I like this, nice size bedroom.

I think it needs a bit of life put back into it.

Good-sized bathroom.

What's with the bath?

With five bedrooms, the family are spoiled for choice.

-Fifth room.

-Bedroom number five.

All five bedrooms are good size, good storage.

It doesn't care if you had 20 bedrooms,

you're not feeling it, are you?

No, not at all.

And things don't improve outside.

There's no wow factor in this one

but if I had to toss a coin between the two houses,

-the other house would win.

-Yes!

But still wouldn't mean I'd move.

The property has fallen short of the family's idea of an Aussie home.

We'd just have to spend way too much money on this house to make it...

What you want.

But how close will it come to their £300,000 budget?

What do you think it's worth? More or less than the other house?

-Less.

-If it's not less, we're in trouble.

2...75.

No, less than that.

Three, two, one...

It's just under budget but Amanda's not impressed.

I would not pay that for this house.

No. That is a surprise.

I'd have the other one hands down.

-High five!

-Doesn't mean I would.

I will high-five you.

Still got one more to see yet.

So, shall we see what that one brings?

The final property will have to deliver

if Amanda's dream's to get off the starting blocks.

It's in the suburb of Worongary,

surrounded by natural bush and lush greenery,

it's one of the Gold Coast's hidden gems.

I like it round here.

-It's nice, isn't it?

-Yeah.

Will this four-bedroom, three-bathroom property

win everyone over?

Looks good from the outside.

Very, very nice.

-Yes.

-This is nice, Mand.

This is definitely going to be your dream house, isn't it?

-Would you live here?

-Yeah.

See, the dark side's getting to the light side now.

It just flows right through, doesn't it?

Not too big and not too small, so it's just right for us.

Ticking some boxes so far.

The only box it won't tick is the price, that's the problem.

-We'll see.

-Come on, then.

-Let's have a look.

This time the kitchen doesn't disappoint.

It's similar size to ours.

And the girls seem happy with the bedrooms.

That's a nice size.

Ideal for one of you two, wouldn't it?

-Yeah.

-Who'd want this one?

Until they see mum and dad's, that is.

-No way! It's massive!

-We could exchange.

-Walk...!

-Ha-ha-ha!

-That's a walk-in wardrobe!

-Mum's happy!

No! I want this room!

I'm only coming if this is my room.

Yeah, I can imagine myself sleeping there, walking outside there.

Looks like Dave's sold.

Leads straight outside to this.

A pool!

Get up in the morning, straight in that,

down the other end, straight to work.

What - in your Speedos, Dave?!

The whole family seem captivated.

Yeah, no, I like it.

-Liking it?

-Mmm-hmm.

It's really, really, really nice.

I could see us living here and just spending a bit more family time.

And there's still more to see.

Yeah, nice barbecue, nice big table, a little bit of garden.

Not too overlooked with all the trees, either.

-It's nice.

-Man cave!

The converted annexe leads to a difference of taste.

Hello, could I have a cup of tea please?

No, a beer!

And no prizes for guessing how the extra land could be put to use.

Space for the horse!

But we're still not having a horse.

Shh! You're ruining my moment!

It's just got everything that we wished for.

-And more.

-And more!

It's ticked every box, but when it comes to the price,

will their dream home get the chop?

The family's budget is £300,000.

I hope it's like 500, so we don't move.

-Shall we see?

-Yeah.

Go on, go, let's do it!

Oh, my gosh!

Told you!

That's almost 50% over budget.

Sorry love, you ain't moving here.

Yes!

Wow! That's, like, way over budget, isn't it?

Well, you do the sums, not me.

Still got the first one.

Still the first one.

House-hunting could've seen Dave begin to waver

when it comes to living down under.

House number one was just one bedroom short

of being a practically perfect pad.

Although under budget,

the second property's dark interiors disappointed.

The final house had it all, both inside and out,

but, unfortunately, a hefty price tag, too.

So when it comes to Aussie homes,

will the family vote for the UK, or down under?

Based on what we've seen today our vote goes to...

-Australia.

-Undecided.

I thought you'd choose UK, so I'm very surprised you chose undecided.

There's only one that I really like

and I don't know if I'd change our home for that one.

It's got to be undecided because...not all ticked my boxes.

I picked Australia because,

even though this one we couldn't afford,

it's still got everything that we wanted,

and if Mum and Dad get really good jobs,

they could eventually afford this.

Both the first house and this house, for me, tick all my boxes,

except price on this one.

But...

You know... Who knows what tomorrow will bring?

Amanda's trying to look on the bright side,

but with Dave and Morgan voting undecided,

she's got an uphill climb ahead.

Securing the right jobs down under for both her and Dave

is now more crucial than ever,

if she's to achieve the family time she's yearning for.

Back home, Amanda's a primary school teacher.

I absolutely love my job.

You go in and each day is different from the day before.

It's a role she won't contemplate changing.

If I moved Australia, I don't want to do anything different.

Dave's a production operative in the car industry...

I drive the cranes, I put panels in the rack.

He's been with the same company for 18 years.

Basically, that's all I know.

You get an age where you can't really retrain as anything.

..and worries if he leaves, the door would be shut for good.

It's hard enough to get into a place like that.

I wouldn't have a job to come back to,

so that would be a big concern of mine.

If we don't get the jobs between us,

and get the money between us, for me, we wouldn't be going.

While the girls take time out, mum and dad set off to explore

what opportunities could await them on the Gold Coast.

First up, we've arranged for Dave

to visit one of the biggest bus manufacturers in Australia.

He's met by expat general manager Mark Cleave.

-Hi, Mark, how's it going?

-All right, Dave? Nice to you.

That's a double-decker CDI, a product we do.

-I'll show you up the line and we can have a look at the next stage.

-Yeah.

Dave's anxious to know how he'd fit into a company like this.

To transfer your skills from the car industry

to the bus industry, it would be very smooth, I think.

It's just a big box on wheels, just a bigger car, really.

-Yeah.

-I don't think you'd have an issue.

It's a good start.

Back home Dave's shifts mean little time for family,

so would his work/life balance improve here?

It's the Gold Coast, so we only do a basic early shift.

So it's six o'clock in the morning until 2.30 in the afternoon.

On a Friday we offer them to leave at 12 o'clock.

The hours you just said then suit me down to the ground,

compared to what I'm doing at home now, with days, afternoons, nights,

finishing at half two, be able to get the kids, brilliant.

Take them to the beach and do family stuff.

As soon as that bell goes at half two, it's like a race out the door!

So what would Dave's chances be of getting a job here?

I can't see any reason why we wouldn't be interested

in taking you on.

There's certainly the opportunity for full-time work.

Great result. Last question...

What would the wages be for somewhere like this?

You'd probably be looking between 55-65,000 a year.

60,000 Australian dollars equates to approximately 34,000 British pounds.

That's £5,000 more than Dave currently earns in the UK.

I like the sound of that.

An increase in salary and more sociable hours.

Could this be a potential turning point for Dave?

I am probably moving towards the side of moving to Australia,

only because this was my main concern.

That's Dave reassured.

Meanwhile, across town, Amanda's visiting Saint Stephen's College,

to find out what her job prospects might be.

Jane Howe, director of community relations, shows her around.

Welcome to Saint Stephen's college.

Thank you. Thank you for having me.

So, this is our team projects area.

The chairs as well, they're wobbling chairs.

That is to enable them to get their brain going as well.

So the cognitive learning,

is that something that takes place within the classroom as well?

Yes, yeah, definitely.

Jane introduces Amanda to two UK teachers

who've already made the move.

Christine and Tracy, this is Amanda.

-Nice to me you.

-I'm Christine, nice to meet you.

-Hi, Amanda.

-Welcome.

Back home, Amanda often burns the midnight oil

to cope with her heavy workload.

She's hoping things are done differently down under.

I don't take anywhere near as much home

as I did when I worked in the UK.

In the UK, I was working 60 or 70 hour week, which was unsustainable,

whereas, here, I'm able to manage my workload a lot better.

The support that we get is just phenomenal.

I love the way things are done.

There was a reason I moved here

-and it wasn't work all day and all night.

-Absolutely.

It was to play on the beach.

Sounds good. Amanda's not done yet, though.

How likely do you think it would be

for me to secure employment in Australia?

If you get your visa or when you get your visa, you come out,

put your names down for relief work in as many schools as you can.

Get your face out there, and then,

with any luck you might be offered that contract.

If somebody's on maternity leave, or long service leave, or whatever,

and then hopefully that will lead you to a permanent position.

Starting down under as a temp wasn't exactly what Amanda had in mind,

but could the money lift her spirits?

So it could be between 50-53,000,

and then it could go up anywhere, up to 80,000.

That's similar to Amanda's current salary in the UK,

but Tracy has some encouraging news.

If schools really want you,

they may offer you a higher grade than you're actually qualified at.

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

It's like going back to the beginning,

finding employment in the UK,

and I don't think, at the moment, I'd put my family through that risk.

I'm not sure yet. I think a lot depends on how Dave gets on today.

When the family meet up at the end of the day,

Amanda's encouraged by Dave's news.

-How did you get on?

-Yeah, good. Yeah, enjoyed it.

The skills I've got would transfer over quite easily.

I'd be at the top end of the pay scale,

but the hours are from six till half two.

That would be really good.

You know, we could all have a life.

Could pick you up from school every day and then we can go...

Do something at the beach, go to the park, surfing.

Horse riding.

So when it comes to the vote, will Dave's positive outcome

be enough to outweigh Amanda's concerns?

Based on today's work experiences, our vote goes to...

-Australia.

-Undecided.

In regards to getting a job,

it's like starting at the beginning again,

scrabbling with everyone else to get that first job.

So I'm just voting on mine.

If I was voting on yours and mine it might be a different answer,

because you haven't got what you wanted.

-So, it's got pros and cons, hasn't it?

-Yeah.

Disappointing work prospects have left Amanda questioning the move,

but Dave's first vote for Australia

suggests he's beginning to entertain the idea.

With a desire for more family time together fuelling Amanda's dream,

hopefully, a day out Aussie-style

will help get everyone excited about a potential lifestyle down under.

The family are spending their day

at one of the many Gold Coast National Parks.

It is nice, though, isn't it?

Nice and peaceful.

Oh, look, some water.

After a stroll around, it's time for a cooling dip in the falls.

Ow!

Watch out, mum.

It's freezing!

Cold.

That's freezing. Don't you dare!

-No, no!

-No, don't you dare.

When they eventually pluck up the courage, they have a splashing time.

Ooh! I've got to get out.

Three, two, one, go!

SHE SHRIEKS

Time out as a family is what a move's all about.

I really enjoyed today. It's been nice to be together.

Me going down the slide of rocks, it was really...

It's been good. This is what I expected of Australia.

It means loads to me, watching them all together.

Seeing them doing this is brilliant, because, at the end of the day,

another ten years' time they're going to be old enough,

leaving home sort of thing, so, you know,

you want to get the most of this now, while you can.

Despite disappointing news on the work front,

Amanda's feeling positive about the week so far.

I think the move overall is looking quite good.

I'm feeling a bit more positive about it now.

You don't know these things till you try it.

Now he's actually come here and experienced everything,

I think he's getting towards saying

he wants to move at the end of the week.

But Amanda knows she's not out of the woods yet.

I think Morgan still needs quite a bit of convincing.

Don't know...

Thoughts of home are also preying on her mind.

If something happened to mum, I couldn't be there.

Now it's like "I'll see you in a day, a day and a half."

She might find it harder than what she thinks, about leaving her mum.

But she's still convinced a move's the best way forward.

I think, for us,

we've got to kind of look at it for the four of us

and make a decision for us as a family,

rather than for everybody else.

For now, though, when it comes to lifestyle, will it be home or away?

We've all enjoyed our day today swimming in the waterfalls,

and based on our lifestyle experience,

we're going to vote for...

-Australia.

-Australia.

-Australia.

-Undecided.

I picked undecided because I don't know whether I can do this or not.

-OK.

-We can do a lot more with better weather,

so I think you can't get that in England.

It's Easter. Back at home, you couldn't be outside

in shorts and flip-flops at Easter, could you?

This is the lifestyle I dream about,

more for the girls than anything else,

that they've got the freedom to go and do what they want to do

and not be restricted by anything.

With Morgan's second undecided vote,

Amanda's still got some way to go for a move to be a done deal.

Back in the UK, both girls are passionate about karate.

Perhaps a visit to a local dojo might help win Morgan over.

Have you guys been to tournaments?

Yeah, we've been to nationals and regionals.

Ah, wow, that's really cool.

I won last year at my fighting and then I won...

I think it was two or three years before that.

I came second in regionals last year.

While the girls talk shop, Mum and Dad hook up with expat parent Paul.

We've been here five and a half years now

and I couldn't see us ever going back home.

The lifestyle is just fantastic.

What did you find the hardest thing, coming over?

Family and friends. It's really tough.

You don't know if you're going to see them again.

That's probably the toughest thing. It's a big sacrifice.

It looks like the karate kids

are punching well above their weight.

Could you see yourselves doing this?

-Yeah, I could.

-Yeah.

You could?

Probably, yeah. Could this be a turning point for Morgan?

It does make me feel better that we can make friends easily here.

Whoo!

As long as we still get to carry on doing the same things,

it doesn't really matter where or who you're with,

as long as we still get to do them.

It's really important for the girls to continue with activities

that they do at home

and I think it's the first time I've seen Morgan smile

since we've been here.

To see your children happy is the most important thing and

to see that side of Morgan come back out again, it's been lovely.

With Dave and Morgan swaying towards a move,

it looks like Amanda's dream could be inching closer

but will it prove affordable?

Getting the right price for their home in the UK

would be a good start.

Dave and Amanda think it's worth £250,000.

We sent two local estate agents round to see if they're right.

Right, so, here we have the living room.

It a bright room, breezy, it's got the bay windows,

but I would like it to be a bit bigger for the size of the house.

Aah!

-The doggy.

-Esme in the corner!

OK, a nice sized room, nice dimensions.

Looking out over open countryside at the rear, which is very attractive.

A very nice room indeed.

Right, so, here we have the kitchen which is the main family room,

in my opinion.

It's quite spacious.

Modern worktops.

True, it is the hub of the house, really, isn't it?

It's what we use, don't we?

In today's current market,

I'd put it on the market for between 200 and £220,000.

£200,000 for a quick sale.

That was a bit less.

I feel in this marketplace, that it could achieve,

the marketing value would be in the region of £200,000.

For a quicker sale, obviously,

I'd value it a bit lower at 190, 195.

The valuation is less than what we expected, isn't it?

Oh, yeah. But we know the houses have sold,

houses very similar to ours have sold for more than that.

-Yeah.

-It wouldn't stop you anyway, would it?

It wouldn't stop me, no.

So, there you go.

With Amanda undaunted by the disappointing estimates,

the couple move on to examine the everyday cost of living.

-Here's the important bit.

-Yeah.

We've provided a comparison between the UK and Australia.

First up, a look at the weekly shopping bill.

Garlic bread is about...

..70p dearer.

Yeah, that's OK.

Pizza for Morgan, well, she's not be going to be eating pizza any more.

That's, like, £1.80 more.

Chicken, we use a lot of, it's double.

-That's double.

-Tuna steaks, £8.50 over here.

It's four times more expensive more or less.

The Australian shopping bill comes to a grand total of £160.80.

That's almost double what the family spend on food every week in the UK.

That's significantly, um,...

a lot more money.

And there's the bigger costs to face.

They based their calculations on the first property they saw.

Our mortgage at home is £656

and the Australian mortgage is 1289.

Once again, it's double what they pay back home.

The figures don't look good.

Comparing Australian outgoings to those in the UK,

the couple discover it would cost them £700 more per month

to live down under.

Another sad, crying face.

-They're tears.

-It's £8,000 more a year, which is a lot.

It is a lot.

Amanda's dream is becoming a nightmare,

even though Dave could up his earnings down under,

it's not enough to balance the books.

We are worse off by £485 per month.

Can I still do tears?

-You need a water...

-I need a water fountain.

-Yeah.

On closer inspection, Amanda feels more positive.

Back in the UK, the couple have a disposable income

of nearly £1,350 each month.

In Oz, that would be reduced to £860

but they'd still have some money left in the bank.

Minus your 485, potentially,...

..you've still got that, so 100 quid each week.

How many cars is that on? One car? One car? We'd need two cars.

You're cycling. You need to get the bus.

I wouldn't be able to cycle to work so it's not feasible.

I think it is. I'm going to put a happy face...

..with a bit of a sunshine.

But Dave's just not buying it.

It's not raining any more. It's pouring down over your cloud now.

She's given it her best shot but when it comes to the vote,

will it be enough?

So, our reality check today showed us a mixed bag of results

and based on that, we have decided to vote for...

-Australia.

-England.

I think, based on what I've seen of Australia, not just what's on paper,

we could make savings, as we do at home,

so I think that's not all just cut and dried,

as what you see as black and white on the paper.

We do need two cars. Everything is so far away.

I still think we would be worse off in the long run,

so, for me, it's still a big no on the money side of things.

Despite Amanda's efforts,

Dave isn't budging on the budget

and there's still one more hurdle to overcome.

The family have agreed to watch

a DVD of messages from home together.

Will the thought of leaving loved ones behind

prove too much to bear, even for Amanda?

Hello, David, Amanda.

Hello, girls.

Hi!

-Hello!

-Hello, Dave and Amanda, and Naomi and Morgan.

The Lancelotts, as a family, are really competitive.

They are loving, caring...

..always happy.

Dave, it pains to say, he's certainly one in a million.

If anybody needs any help, he's the first one there.

He's always been that type of lad.

Never seen Amanda not to be happy.

She's my first port of call if I've ever got a problem.

She's the first person I text, or phone, or go round to.

Oh, do you know what?

Naomi and Morgan, they are beautiful inside and out.

I'd be really sad if she moved. I'd really miss her loads.

I'd miss the girls.

For them, the decisions they've got to make is a huge one.

I couldn't even imagine making that.

It's quite sad, we're going to miss them like a part of our heart.

If they went, you'd feel completely lost, completely and utterly lost.

I will find it extremely hard to say goodbye, but I won't say goodbye.

It would be a hug and kiss and see you soon.

We will support you in whatever decision you make,

whether you decide to move out to Australia or stay here.

You've got a lot to think about and, if they ever said,

"We couldn't go because we couldn't leave you,"

I wouldn't like that.

No, it's got to be what...

..the four of them find the best.

And I just wish them all the best.

-You're crying.

-Has mummy been crying?

-Yeah.

-I think it's just seeing other people upset,

that kind of puts it into perspective.

-They'll miss you.

-They'll miss you, as well.

Not that you don't think they would

but when you see them upset, because you're so close to them,

you naturally feel that...

Excuse me... ..that sadness that they feel.

I'd miss playing with Zach and Elsie.

-Would you?

-Yeah.

-What about the family?

-Definitely.

Their time in Australia has given the Lancelotts

a glimpse of what they stand to gain down under,

but hearing those messages from home

was a reminder of what they could also be losing out on.

As the week draws to a close,

the whole family now face a difficult choice as they decide,

once and for all, which side of the world their future lies.

The week has confirmed Amanda and Naomi's conviction

that down under's where they should be.

Australia has been what I hoped it would be

in that the opportunities that it provides for us as a family

are immense.

It showed me a lot more than I thought it would

and...it's just been really fun.

It's opened Dave and Morgan's eyes

to the life they could be enjoying, too.

You probably would get a better lifestyle.

There is a lot more to do here and, yes, it is a fickle thing,

but the weather does help.

The week has shown us that it's easy to adapt to it here

and we'd get used to the lifestyle and make friends.

But as the final vote approaches,

the reality of leaving her mum behind

has given Amanda pause for thought.

It's a massive decision.

We aren't a family of four.

We're a family of five and I think,

with moving, you don't just move you as a family,

we've always got someone else to consider.

Where the family's future lies still hangs in the balance.

The whole week has given pros and cons to everything,

so I wouldn't say I am for it, I wouldn't say I'm against it.

There's a side of me that doesn't want to go

and there's a little bit of me that does.

So, which side of the world will the Lancelotts call home?

Based on our week in Australia, we're going to vote for...

-England.

-Australia.

-Australia.

-50-50.

Ooooh!

I think we might have aimed too high.

If we forget the swimming pool, forget the horse,

the immaculate house.

It's things you've got to look at.

Why Australia, Naomi?

You knew all along,

it's going to be Australia for me

but I just enjoyed having more family time.

Why do you want to stay in England?

Why has England got the edge over Australia for you?

I'll miss everyone. I don't want to go.

You miss your friends? Yeah?

Never mind.

I think although there is reservations,

I nearly voted undecided,

I think those barriers, potentially, could be overcome

to keep the Australian dream alive.

Unfortunately, their week on the Gold Coast hasn't provided Amanda

with the breakthrough she was hoping for

and with the family still split down the middle,

it looks as if the Lancelotts

will be continuing to call the UK home, for the time being anyway.

Wherever their future takes them, we wish them all every happiness.