Stockley Family Wanted Down Under

Having survived challenging times,

Gavin Stockley's convinced a fresh start down under

is what his family needs.

I'm passionate that I think it could be a wonderful thing for all of us.

But getting wife Amy on board could be harder than he thinks.

It needs to show me that we can achieve something better

than what we've got in the UK.

If it doesn't, then we're not going.

A trial week in Melbourne reveals what life could be like.

If we moved into a house like this,

I'd be going to Australia in a heartbeat.

But when it comes to the crunch,

will the thought of leaving loved ones be too much to bear?

I'm absolutely blown away that I'm even this torn.

Ultimately, I have to choose one or the other.

The sixth largest country on Earth,

Australia accounts for 5% of the world's landmass,

stretching for 2,500 miles, from east coast to west.

But with just over a third of the population of the UK,

there's plenty of room for the 35,000 Brits

that head down under every year

hoping to make the country their new home.

But it isn't idyllic for everyone.

Almost half of those who move return back to the UK,

their dreams shattered.

Gavin and Amy Stockley from Hampshire

have had a traumatic couple of years

that's convinced them it might be time to move down under.

But they'll be leaving a lot behind if they do.

Across a trial week in Australia,

they will get to see where they might live,

what they can afford and the jobs they could get if they emigrated.

Then, at the end, they'll come to a final decision and vote.

The family's trial week begins with an epic journey

from London via Dubai to Melbourne.

And it's beginning to sink in just how far from home they are.

The journey was long.

Mentally draining. And really you do appreciate

you've come halfway around the world.

It felt like it was lasting forever.

I'm pleased to be off the plane, I have to say.

And Gavin's only too aware of what's at stake in the coming week.

It's really, really vital.

I'm just hopeful this week is everything that we imagine it's going to be,

and really looking forward to getting started.

But there's a long way to go before the whole family commits to making

it a permanent move.

I think Dad will have to convince me quite a lot to move here.

Dad could be able to convince me to move,

but it might take quite an effort.

If it doesn't come off this week, it doesn't come off.

No pressure, Gavin!

As the family head out into Melbourne,

he knows the next seven days will be

his best shot of the life he's been dreaming of.

Meet the Stockleys -

their dad, Gavin,

mum, Amy, Madison, aged 12, and Cohen, who's ten.

As a family, they're a tight unit,

hardly surprising given they've had

to endure more than their fair share of difficult times.

Five years ago, mum Amy was involved in a collision whilst driving

their young son, Cohen.

Although they both escaped major physical injury,

the incident left her badly shaken.

It was more psychological, really,

that I'd been in a car with my son

and this terrible thing had happened.

And just ten months later, this time driving alone,

history repeated itself.

The driver behind me wasn't paying attention.

Myself and the driver in front were stationary,

so she hit us going 40mph.

It was noise, there was glass flying around,

I was in loads of pain.

The fire service had to cut the roof off the car to get me out.

Amy suffered multiple neck and back injuries,

and the next few years became a living nightmare.

Procedures, physios, injections, lack of sleep.

The impact on our life was enormous.

At first, Amy battled through on a constant diet of painkillers

and sleeping tablets. But it soon took its toll.

I didn't realise just how low and how empty

I'd got to until I hit that point where I couldn't function.

She, at one stage, did have a sort of a breakdown,

and that was tough.

As a husband and partner and provider,

I felt that I'd let her down because

I didn't see that coming in quite the significant way that it did.

As Amy began the slow road to recovery,

Gavin began to feel the strain.

The magnitude of everything we had been through over that past

12 or 18 months struck me hard.

So I went into my own depression.

This difficult time was compounded

by the tragedy of the sudden death of

two of his closest friends.

You lose people your age that are seemingly fit, healthy and well,

it makes you realise how incredibly fragile it all is.

It really shook Gavin's purpose for living, if I'm honest.

I really did start to, as I say, reach my lowest ebb

and wonder what it was all about, really.

It took some time, but the couple began to rebuild their lives.

Determined to put the past behind them,

Gavin has resolved to set his sights on brighter and hotter horizons.

He decided that life is for living

and was no longer happy with being,

as he describes it, in the rat race.

The dream for me of Australian life is about having more time to spend

with the family, getting that real work-life balance,

where I don't feel that I'm driving to work in the dark,

coming home in the cold and the wet.

Through everything that's happened

it's kind of created a want in me to not

miss opportunities, but to really go and chase them.

While Amy understands what a move could mean for all of them,

for her, the decision to uproot and start again

in a country they've never even visited can't be taken lightly.

I love the idea of being outdoors with the kids,

being in a warm climate.

The opportunity for the children, I think, is great over there.

But do you give everything up in pursuit of that?

Amy's got valid concerns, and I totally accept those.

And I share those, in fairness.

-Obviously I don't want to be uprooting my family...

-But you want to go anyway!

No, I don't want to uproot the family and take them, regardless.

But, as I say, I'm passionate that

I think it could be a wonderful thing for all of us.

She is also worried about cutting off the strong

support network of those who helped her through the tough times.

To be honest, without them I don't know how I would have got through.

And having them on the doorstep is...

..is enormous to me.

It's been my lifeline, really.

And Gavin's also aware of the emotional cost involved.

The prospect of taking Madison and Cohen so far away and away

from their grandparents is a tough one.

I do feel guilty about that.

But getting the children on board with the idea of moving to the other

side of the world may take some work.

We get a mixed reception from the kids.

Sometimes they seem keen to pursue it, other times, more regularly,

they're quite averse to the idea.

At the moment I don't really want to move just because I don't want to

leave all my friends and family.

I feel like we would have a lot more time as a family together.

But then other times I think I'm really happy

with the friends that I've got,

and I don't want to, like, leave them all behind.

Nevertheless, Gavin is more convinced than ever

it's where his family's future lies.

Through all the hard times,

what has happened is that we've become stronger than ever.

We will be strong enough to make a new life and really make it work.

But Amy is adamant that the week ahead will have to provide the right answers.

It needs to show me that we can achieve something better

than we've got in the UK.

If it doesn't, then we're not going.

The Stockleys are spending their trial week in Melbourne,

capital of Victoria, on Australia's south coast.

The city plays host to almost a million

international visitors each year.

Their temporary base for the week is in the eastern suburb of Ashburton.

What will Amy make of her first taste of Aussie living?

Wow!

It's really modern.

I'm just grateful to have landed, to be fair.

Time for a pick me up then!

And with a cup of tea in hand, the Stockleys take stock.

It feels really surreal that we're here.

It's almost starting to feel real that we're actually doing it.

There's an awful lot riding on this week and it's going to be exciting,

I think. Hopefully it's all worth it for you.

We'll know one way or the other, we'll get some answers.

And let's hope it's Australia.

-We'll see!

-THEY LAUGH

Back in the UK, the Stockleys live near Portsmouth,

on the south coast of England,

in a three-bedroom detached house.

Since buying the property three years ago,

they've worked hard to make it a place they're proud to call home.

We've put everything we've had into this house.

There's not a room that we haven't started from scratch with.

Blood, sweat and tears have gone into it.

I think it'd be really emotional, actually, to walk away.

However, with a budget of £320,000 for a home down under,

Amy knows exactly what she wants.

It has to be light and airy, it has offer space for us.

We've got two children that aren't little any more,

so they come with an array of stuff.

Including a wish list for Madison.

I would love a pool.

And I really want, like, a walk-in wardrobe in my bedroom.

And Gavin is well aware that Australian homes

will have to impress.

If you don't fall in love with some sort of property out there within budget,

I think that's going to be the one thing that Amy says,

"It's not going to be happening."

No.

To give the Stockleys an idea of what's available in Melbourne,

we'll show them three houses.

Two on budget and one which could be their dream home.

First stop is the suburb of Langwarrin.

With plenty of schools, parks and shops on the doorstep,

it's a family-friendly area.

Will this spacious four-bedroom home fulfil the Stockleys' needs?

-I really like it.

-It feels far more rural and stuff, doesn't it?

-It's lovely.

-Yeah.

Things are off to a positive start.

-High ceilings.

-Wow!

-That's nice, isn't it?

I definitely like the idea of us having more of an open-plan family space.

I could see us living here.

-You'll find me at the bar!

-THEY LAUGH

This is so cool.

It's great, isn't it? I do love this.

It's a really special sort of space.

For those friends we won't have!

Oh, ouch! Just when things were going so well.

-Hmm.

-I don't really like it.

-I really like the space.

-The kitchen is not my taste.

-No, same.

Are things getting any more positive outside?

-Hmm.

-There's no grass.

Not quite the garden of our dreams, is it?

-No.

-No.

It's not really what I'd want to be able to, like, play football.

Oh, dear.

Back indoors though, things return to a more positive note.

-Wow!

-Whoa.

You definitely can't say there's not enough space.

-It's a big space, isn't it?

-Yeah.

-That's plenty big enough.

The bed looks like it's barely taking up any room.

-It's massive, isn't it?

-Yeah.

And an en-suite is always a bonus, right?

Obviously, we've not got an en-suite at home.

-It'd be a nice thing to have.

-It definitely needs updating.

Well, Madison is definitely pleased with her bedroom.

-It's got a wardrobe.

-Oh, a built-in wardrobe.

-Mads is happy.

-This is literally, like, my dream bedroom.

Imagine on a nice day lying on your bed,

doing your homework, looking out there.

-It'd be cool, wouldn't it?

-That'd actually be so nice.

You can but dream, I guess.

However, Cohen is not quite so excited about his.

It's quite small.

The two things that I'd mainly use would be my room and the garden and

both are quite a bit of a let down.

-Not good enough for you?

-Yeah.

That's all right.

With mixed reactions to this property,

is it somewhere the family would relocate half a world away for?

It's a really nice house. I think it's missing a few features

-that are really important to us moving.

-Yeah, I agree.

I'm thinking 300,000.

OK. I'm thinking it might be slightly over that.

Maybe 310. What you think, Maddy?

I reckon about 300.

Probably around £310,000.

Let's a look.

The Stockleys have a budget of £320,000.

Oh! That's quite disappointing, actually.

Cos I think I had envisaged it to be underbudget because it needs

-modernising.

-It's a shame it's top end of budget...

-Yeah. I feel a bit deflated.

-..and not what we need.

Things aren't looking good for Gavin's dreams

of a fresh start down under.

But hopefully the next property can get things back on track.

It's in Carrum Downs, an established suburb 45 minutes' drive

from Melbourne city centre.

Will this four-bedroom family home be more to their taste?

-This is cosy.

-Oh, wow. I wasn't expecting that.

-This feels like the UK.

-I was going to say, that's exactly what I was thinking.

-It feels like a living room we'd have at home.

-Yeah. I like this.

-Happy.

-And the positive vibe continues as they explore.

Oh!

Wow, was not expecting that.

-Everything is so cute.

-Lovely, isn't it?

Feeling pretty dumbfounded, to be honest.

This kind of open-plan family environment

is exactly what I would want.

But not everyone's quite so enthused.

-COHEN:

-I don't know, I just feel like it's too old-fashioned.

-I'm not picking up on old-fashioned.

-Oh, I am.

But, Amy, maybe Cohen has a point.

Our kitchen at home is much more modern and far bigger.

-Bigger.

-Yeah. It's a lot bigger.

For me, I would probably want it a little bit more contemporary.

I think it's time for some fresh air.

-I really like this.

-It's lovely.

-This is cute.

-That would be a great entertainment space, wouldn't it?

Yeah, I really like it. It feels like you're on holiday.

It looks like the garden is a winner.

-That is nice, isn't it?

-Wow.

You've got grass, Cohen.

You can play football.

-COHEN:

-I should be able to play football here.

Ticking the boxes.

-Ah, come round now!

-It's not so old-fashioned.

-Cool.

Well, that's definitely a result.

And once back inside, the main bedroom doesn't disappoint either.

-This is nice, again.

-Oh, I like this.

-You wouldn't need to do a single thing in here, would you?

-No.

-No. Not at all.

It's a really good finish, actually.

Straight into the en-suite, then.

-Oh.

-Oh, I like that.

-It's much more modern, isn't it?

Yeah. This is lovely.

This is really nice.

It's really beautiful.

Though things get a bit heated by bedroom number two.

Oh, this is nice.

-Oh, that's nice.

-This is would be my room.

COHEN: This would be my room.

Oh, look at my room!

Whole of my life she's had a bigger room than me.

Oh, my God.

Can we rein this in, please?

This isn't Jeremy Kyle.

But thankfully, bedroom three is just as nice.

-Oh, wow.

-Oh, that is nice, isn't it?

-This is so nice.

-Another fitted wardrobe.

It's got the grass, a built-in wardrobe and a bedroom you like.

And it's probably out of budget.

-Ah, yeah...

-So could you all love it a little bit less?

This house could be the one to convince Amy and Madison

to move halfway around the world.

What do you think?

-I really like it.

-I'd buy this. I'd move in tomorrow.

I'd move in tomorrow.

I'd move in tomorrow.

Let's hope the price is right, then.

The family budget is £320,000.

-Oh, get in!

-My goodness.

I'm really surprised that this is the same price

as the first one we saw...

-I am.

-..because this is way, way more what we're looking for,

-I think.

-Yeah. That, for me, cements a massive step up the ladder.

It's a big step forward, isn't it?

Yeah, definitely.

Things are looking up for Gavin, and there's still one house to see.

It is in Cranbourne East, 28 miles south-east of Melbourne.

This suburb boasts a semirural feel with good transport links,

making it accessible for commuting.

Will this modern family home have the wow factor for the Stockleys?

It's huge.

It's a lot bigger than what we've seen.

And inside makes a big impression, too.

-Wow.

-Blimey.

-Wow, wow, wow.

It is beautiful, but slightly too sterile and clinical for my taste.

I really like it.

So, a difference of opinion already,

and that continues into the open-plan living area.

KIDS: Wow.

This is actually amazing.

If we moved into a house like this,

I would be going to Australia in a heartbeat.

-You're sold.

-I wouldn't even need to say bye to anyone,

-I'm just here.

-THEY LAUGH

Here. Gone.

-The other house felt really warm and cosy, and this one just doesn't have that.

-Yeah.

It almost feels like this would be lovely for a holiday for a couple

of weeks, but would it ever become a home?

I like the sofa. That's nice.

Well, that's something, at least.

And the upstairs does make an impact.

-Wow.

-Wow.

I think this is an absolutely brilliant master bedroom.

-Really impressed.

-I think it's beautiful and I love the windows.

It feels nice, but I can't kind of get rid of how the rest of the house

makes me feel.

Well, the good news is there's no fighting over bedrooms

in this property.

I think this would be my room. I like this room.

The window is nice.

I love the modern look on it.

-MADISON:

-This would be my room.

-This is very you, isn't it?

-There you go, it's got nice open wardrobe space.

-Yeah.

Upstairs is so much better than downstairs in this house.

Sure about that, Madison?

Downstairs may have something you haven't seen yet.

Wow. It's got a pool!

That's your wow factor, isn't it? People would be impressed with it.

In Australia, if we could get a pool, then obviously I'd want it.

But the thing that really strikes me is the barbecue area -

-that just is amazing.

-Yeah, I love that.

I can imagine having friends over for a...get-together.

Imagine, with the pool.

-That would make this garden come to life.

-Everything. Yeah.

This property has impressed on many levels,

but is it somewhere the whole family could see themselves living?

Right, so I think we know Cohen is sold.

But what about you?

On paper, this is, you know, what we were looking for to fit the bill.

I guess I hadn't appreciated it before how much...

..I value heart and soul in a house.

It's got lots of amazing wow features.

Put them in the other house and then I think you really are talking our

-dream home.

-It just doesn't feel

like somewhere I would see us as a family living.

So not for everyone,

but is it somewhere they could afford to live

on their £320,000 budget?

I'm guessing £450,000.

I'd go nearer to £420,000.

It only seems fair that you do it, Co.

-Oh, wow.

-Wow! It's priced fairly, I think,

but it still wouldn't encourage me to consider buying it.

It's interesting. We wouldn't spend £115,000 on having a pool in

the garden, which is what boils down to for us.

Well, at least Cohen knows what HE wants.

I knew from the start this was a dream

that maybe one day we might be able to achieve.

So a mixed bag of a day on the property search.

House number one had the open-plan living the family was after,

but no grass in the garden meant a no-go.

Despite a false start,

house number two's interior won everyone over

and at a price they could afford.

And although Cohen loved the modern look of the dream house,

with the rest of the family not sold,

he could find himself home alone.

So will the vote be home or away?

Based on the three properties we've seen today, our vote goes to...

-Australia.

-Undecided.

-Undecided.

-Australia.

So, why did you go undecided?

I thought you got really excited there about that second one.

I loved it because it was a lovely house,

not because it was in Australia.

I don't know if it's worth giving up everything else.

It's not going to make me definitely want to move,

but definitely over our house at the moment,

I preferred property number two we saw today.

See how the rest of the week goes and, hopefully,

we'll turn that undecided the other way.

With the family split down the middle on Aussie homes,

it's more crucial than ever that the right work prospects

come up trumps for Gavin if a move is to be on the cards at all.

Back in the UK,

Gavin's worked for a global recruitment company

for the past 16 years as a learning and development specialist.

I love coaching people,

I love supporting people and seeing them thrive and do well.

He's passionate about what he does,

but it can take its toll on family life.

My job does involve stay aways from time to time,

early starts and late finishers.

It would be great to sort of leave that behind and have

a more normal working pattern that fitted with the family, ideally.

Having previously worked full-time for a large bank,

life has taken a different direction for Amy.

She now works just two days a week,

alongside studying for a degree in psychology.

What I've learnt in my life experience has put me

in a really good position to be able to help others

that have gone through or going through difficult times.

With one year already under her belt,

Amy is hoping to complete her degree down under if they make the move.

But whether the qualification will guarantee a career in Australia

is a concern.

I don't know how readily available counselling jobs are.

Am I looking at working hard to obtain a degree

for a job that doesn't exist over there?

However, as the main breadwinner, Gavin's feeling the pressure too.

Amy isn't in a position to commit to full-time work over there yet,

so I need to earn a good income and

secure an opportunity that's going to excite me,

or else, probably, the move just cannot happen.

In order to explore job opportunities down under,

we've arranged for Gavin to visit one of Melbourne's top recruitment

agencies, where he meets with regional director Ryan Lewis,

where the news is both good and bad.

So, Gavin, shall we start with the bad news first?

Let's get the bad news, yeah.

So, our nation has recently changed the visa requirements

for candidates coming over.

So HR have been taken off that.

-Removed, yeah.

-But there are other visa options that you can look into.

I'll probably pick up with an immigration lawyer or specialist

back in the UK and try and find out some more.

You know, you've got longevity

in a top, top business in the UK,

so a lot of my clients would be very interested in that.

That's great news. So if I can work around the visa,

then there's a lot of good hope.

So, visa permitting, things could work out.

Meanwhile, across town, Amy's visiting Monash University,

where she meets Professor Matt Mundy from the School of psychological sciences.

-Hi, I'm Amy.

-Hi, I'm Matt, good to meet you.

First up, Amy's got an important question.

Would my year of education from the UK be recognised here in Australia?

I think the good news is a lot of it would be.

You've studied some core components of psychology that would mean you'd

definitely not be starting from scratch.

Brilliant, that's great news.

But could it all lead to a viable career?

After you've completed your bachelors,

you would do an honours year.

So after four years, you're eligible in Australia

to register as a psychologist if you have

someone to supervise you for two more years after that.

I see, OK.

So the prospects are actually really good.

All positives so far.

And the salary?

Under supervision, you can probably expect around

-£40,000, £40,000 to £42,000.

-OK.

But once you have maybe qualified in a specialisation,

so perhaps a masters in counselling

or a doctorate in clinical psychology or something like that,

that figure goes up to between £45,000 to £50,000

as a sort of starting figure.

That's much better than I expected, to be honest.

So, if Amy could have her cake and eat it down under,

can Gavin do exactly the same?

So, Ryan, I guess the all-important question, really,

is what sort of salary do you think I might be able to expect?

So, really, depending on the organisation,

you can expect £50,000 to £55,000 per annum.

It could be up to 10K in either direction of that.

Wow, OK, that's really interesting. That's good news.

It's higher than I earn back home in the UK,

so that gives me some really interesting food for thought.

Sounds like the money is right, but what about the work-life balance?

Overall, Melbourne has a good work-life balance

and you'd be able to find an organisation

that you won't have to work too hard, and be a dad first

and a L&D specialist second.

Exactly what Gavin wanted to hear.

So it's been a positive day for the couple.

They meet up to compare notes.

So, tell me, how did today go for you?

It went really well, actually.

It was nice hear that, not only does the qualification

that I've already got count for something,

but also I could continue the learning here

to still achieve my goals.

And the salary expectations were higher than I expected and,

you know, it means that I can contribute

as well as pursue the career I want.

That's great news.

I should think you're really proud of yourself and it gives us clarity

that the decision we made to give you a change of direction

is the right one, whether we end up in the UK or manage

to get opportunities to come out here.

So how did your day go?

My day was different.

He was really, really complimentary about my skills, my experience.

In terms of salary expectations,

he suggested probably up to about £55,000.

There is an element of bad news.

As we know, the visa regulations have recently just changed.

It's probably going to put quite a delay on our plans.

We need to seek more information...

-OK.

-..and keep our fingers crossed, really,

and pray it's not the show stopper that it could be.

With such bittersweet news,

which way will the couple vote when it comes to work down under?

Based on our work meeting today, our vote goes to...

-Australia.

-Australia.

-You went Australia?

-Yeah.

That's a really positive thing.

As far as the conversations today on the

career prospects and my future, I'm really encouraged.

Of course there's the issue with the visa

that we do need to investigate more,

and then we can be really pleased with today's news, I think.

And it's a big step forward, seeing the Aussie flag in your hands.

Halfway through their trial week,

and it's been a decidedly mixed bag for the Stockleys,

which means their Aussie dream could all rely on what happens next,

especially on how their messages from home are received.

First, though, they're off for a day in the great outdoors.

Let's just hope the skies are a bit clearer.

The family day out begins with one of Cohen's favourites -

rock climbing.

And he's got some words of encouragement for Dad.

I've never done this, Co, you might have to give me a few tips.

Don't fall and hold on.

Good advice.

You're doing well, Co.

Don't get distracted and remember, without me, you don't eat.

Enjoy.

It was good fun to try something different, wasn't it?

And Cohen, certainly, I think was in his element.

I think it's nice to scare yourself a little bit every now and again.

Glad to feel the ground beneath their feet,

the family take a stroll around Melbourne.

But first, it's time for a bite to eat, Aussie style.

So far, Melbourne's been living up to expectations.

And later on, the day is rounded off with a surprise call

from Gavin's mum and dad.

Hi!

-THEY LAUGH

-Hiya, guys.

-How are you all?

We've had a barbecue today outdoors on the river.

Who cooked, then?

- Gavin cooked. - And me.

I'm as shocked as you are.

I was thinking, if we're going to be an Aussie family,

I probably need to learn how to barbecue.

We're really missing you over here.

-It's a long way. Take care.

-Love you all.

Love you so much.

- Bye. - Bye.

That was nice, seeing Nan and Grandad.

I don't know, it feels like ages since we have last seen them.

How would feel if that was the only contact you had with your nan and grandad?

I don't think I'd like to not be able to see them.

Despite the difficult reminder of home,

the day has gone down well with Cohen and Madison.

I've enjoyed the fact that all four of us

have been able to go out today and do things together,

and I think if we moved here, then we would do a lot more of that.

-MADISON:

-Even though the weather hasn't been amazing here,

I have enjoyed today because it's been something that's quite, like,

different to what we would do normally.

And even after yesterday's disappointing news

on the visa front, Gavin's more certain than ever.

I'm as convinced as I ever have been, I think,

that Melbourne is a really, really great option

and something that I want to pursue.

So I'm still very much firmly behind the dream.

But has it done enough to convince Amy?

Whilst today has been lovely, and we've had a great day, we've had so much fun,

it hasn't offered any further justification for the move.

None of the experiences we've had here have left me feeling...

..undoubted that Australia was our future.

So with a lot to think about, it's time for the vote.

Based on our great day out today, our vote goes to...

-UK.

-Australia.

-Australia. Australia

-You went UK?

-Yes.

And I'm disappointed I can't vote Australia too,

but I have to be honest,

I haven't experienced enough reason to give me enough motivation to say

that we absolutely need to do this.

You need to feel something, ultimately, really, truly special

ultimately different, and you're not feeling that and I accept that.

Seeing more of Melbourne,

I do really like it and hopefully by the end of this experience,

Melbourne will have won me over.

I think all year round, it would be a really fun place to be.

We'll continue with the rest of the week and see what else develops.

Amy's very definite vote for the UK is a huge blow for Gavin,

and with just days left to win her round,

the finances will have to stack up.

Getting the right price for their home in the UK will be crucial.

They think it's worth £280,000.

Will two local estate agents agree?

Into the lounge. Decorated nicely throughout.

Oh, I miss it.

And bay window letting in all the natural light.

You can see that this is very much the heart of the home

and it's just a real social area of the property.

Must be the master bedroom.

Good size, again, smooth finish walls and ceilings,

plenty of room there for storage.

Really nice-sized garden.

You can see that they enjoy it a lot,

perfect barbecue area, seating area, going into the hot tub, of course,

that we can enjoy on sunnier days.

In today's market, I'd value this property at £325,000.

For a quick sale, I'd value this property at £315,000.

That's fab.

In the current market, I would value this property at £325,000.

For a quick sale, I would put it on the market for £315,000.

I think the valuations are encouraging cos that's probably

a little higher than we might have expected.

That house is probably better than the property two

from the property day.

Because of that, it sort of makes it harder to choose Australia now.

-Oh!

-Interesting.

So, a thought-provoking viewing for the family.

But now it's time for Gavin and Amy to compare the cost of living

in Australia with the UK.

Moment of truth.

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

starting with their weekly food shop.

OK, so pork, so in the UK it's £4.

Crikey, in Australia it's £5.52.

Pork's much more expensive over here.

Yeah, a big jump.

So, lager, a 12-pack would be £10.

And in Australia, it's £17.25!

-Uh-oh.

-Oh, my goodness, you're going to have to give up lager.

-Oh, no. The move's off.

-SHE LAUGHS

So, what's the damage overall?

£50.77p more per week more in Australia.

That's going to put a huge dent in our finances.

-Yeah.

-Already out-of-pocket.

Next, they check the bigger bills.

Basing their figures on the second property they saw,

their monthly mortgage would increase by over £120 down under.

It's not the good news we were hoping for.

It's starting to look like it is going to be

really, really difficult, isn't it?

But Amy's encouraged.

It isn't huge, considering how beautiful it was,

not a significant jump, is it, to be able to get that?

I loved that house, so, yeah, I'd be prepared to pay a bit more for it.

So everything rests on whether their salaries can make up the shortfall.

You'd be taking home £1,473 more per month here in Australia.

-Makes it sound a bit healthier, doesn't it?

-Well, yeah.

And even with Amy working part-time,

their combined salaries yield a result.

So while I'm studying here in Australia,

I could work three days a week,

which works out at £1,575 per month here in Australia.

And that means we'd be bringing in an extra £2,298 per month.

Really?! Did we work that out right?

HE CHUCKLES

So taking everything into consideration,

where does that leave them overall?

So in Australia, we are going to be better off...

-By?

-..by £1,680 per calendar month.

Wow.

Wow. We could live like kings!

-That's got to help win you over.

-I think I need to do them again.

HE LAUGHS

Interesting result.

How will they vote?

Based on our reality check today, our vote goes to...

-Australia!

-Australia!

THEY LAUGH

Good. That's good news.

To go through those costs and not vote for Australia would be insane.

But I'm pleased to be able to vote in line with you today.

And now suddenly it feels it's more within touching distance for us.

So, yeah, really, really good news.

The finances have taken Gavin a step closer to the new life he craves

for his family, but will his new-found optimism be short lived?

The whole family sits down to watch messages from home.

Go on, then, Cohen. Get it started.

Hi.

Hello.

-Natural.

-Amy is a diamond.

Everybody needs an Amy in their life, without a doubt.

Gavin, he's my best friend. We even went to university together,

although that was pretty short lived.

We enjoyed the beer a bit too much, to be honest with you.

Amy, Gavin, Maddie and Cohen are the perfect little family.

When Gavin told me that this was their plan,

they were going to go to Australia,

or they hoped to go to Australia... Oh, crumbs.

I don't want them to go because I would miss them and it would be

like having part of your heart missing.

Being selfish, I don't want them to go to Australia,

but, first and foremost, I want them to be happy,

and if they can make it work and that's what they truly want, then,

you know, they'll go with our blessing.

As far as the kids are concerned,

it will be a shame that they won't have their cousins to grow up together.

I will miss them all massively.

Us back in England, we'll still survive, we'll get through,

but it's about the better life for you guys.

You've got to do whatever you think is going to make you happy,

we're here for you, whether you're in the UK or over the other side of

the world.

You know how we feel, we'd miss you terribly...

..but the decision is yours, you know, you'll go with our blessing.

You know we'll be supportive of you.

We'll miss you and we love you.

Yeah.

I was just biting my lip trying not to get upset.

-MADISON:

-Even if life's absolutely perfect out here,

we're still never going to have them with us.

There's not a beach on the planet or a sunny day on the earth

that I can see would be worth sacrificing...

..those people out of my life on a day-to-day basis,

because they are the reason I've got...

They're the reason I've got through the last few years.

I don't know.

Sorry.

At the start of the week,

Gavin Stockley wanted to show his family that Australia

could help them heal after a couple of difficult years.

But it has been anything but plain sailing.

Now, as they approach the final vote,

it's time to see where their future lies.

How would you vote?

Seven days ago,

the Stockley family set foot in Australia for the very first time.

I think it really, truly has lived up to everything that I expected.

I have fallen in love with Melbourne.

I think it's a beautiful city and I could definitely see myself living here.

The trial week has seen the rest of the family

brought closer together to Gavin's way of thinking.

That's the biggest positive spin that I could have possibly had.

It's given us a sight into what Australia has to give us.

I've loved everything that we've done, including the properties,

to being able to go outside and have a barbecue.

But heartfelt messages from home has given pause for thought.

Even if we're living our dream life here,

it's never going to be the same

without our family and friends around us.

We knew we'd feel sad because we had a lot of people back at home,

but we didn't want to make anyone else upset.

And it's left Amy feeling pulled from both sides.

I'm absolutely blown away that I'm even this torn.

I can't pick up the family and put them in Australia and give them all

these wonderful opportunities

and amazing experiences AND keep everything

they know and love around them.

I can't do both, so ultimately I have to choose one or the other.

It's time for the final vote.

Based on our great week in Australia, our final vote goes to...

-Australia!

-Australia!

-UK!

-Australia!

UK, really?

Don't get me wrong, it would be cool to move over here,

but the fact that there's nothing that does need changing,

I don't think there's any point in running the risk of moving the other side of the world.

I think we expected all along it was going to be hard to say goodbye to

everyone, but we can't let that stop us.

I'm a bit shocked you've gone for Australia.

Like we've always said, we want to regret the decisions we make,

not the decisions we don't make, and this means a lot to you,

so I should and will support you in it.

That's brilliant.

-And clearly Cohen needs convincing that it's going to be worth his while.

-Yeah.

I am troubled that it might be taken out of our hands.

All we can do, I guess, is let fate take a hand.

But like you, I think it's just proven to me

that this is going to be a wonderful future for us.

Yeah, shall we have a little group hug?

THEY LAUGH

After a topsy-turvy week,

Amy decided that Australia had showed her enough positives

to vote yes to a move.

Now I guess all they have to do is get little Cohen on board.

Whatever happens next,

we do of course wish them all the very best of luck.