Clark Wanted Down Under

Hello and welcome to Wanted Down Under,

the show that catapults a British family to the other side of the world

to help them make the biggest decision of their life.

Gordon and Ray Clark are considering a move to Australia.

They think it could be the key to a better work-life balance.

Here both of you have got to work to pay the mortgage, to live.

And even at the weekends you still haven't got the finances to do very much.

Ray wants a better future for the kids.

I hope they have a better standard of living over there.

I'm just thinking, what sort of a future is there in Britain compared to Australia?

They moved from Lancashire to Cardiff four years ago. But could Australia be a move too far?

I don't want to move again. I like Australia but I wanna stay in Cardiff.

Lancashire is three and a half hours away and this is 24 hours away.

But the sheer scale of their decision isn't lost on Gordon.

Realistically, are we prepared to do it? Because it's not gonna be a bed of roses.

Are you gonna get the right job, the right schools?

I think we've got a lot more information to find out this week.

So could the Clarks make the biggest move of their lives and go

where they're Wanted Down Under?

The gloomy economic forecast in the UK

makes many people see the lifestyle in Australia looking more attractive than ever.

But is it all sun, sea and sand?

And does emigrating make life better, happier and easier?

Last year over 60 Brits a day moved there permanently, but what goes into making such a life-changing decision?

We've given another 20 British families the chance to swap the UK

for life down under but, after just one week, which way will they vote?

Will they stay in the UK or move to Australia?

Gordon and Ray Clark live in Cardiff with their one-year-old son, Cameron,

and Ray's two daughters from a previous marriage - 12-year-old Gabby and Leah, who's 11.

Ray, the girls, and her eldest son, Jacob, relocated from Lancashire

to live with their stepdad, Gordon, four years ago.

It was a fresh start for us.

That was a big thing for the children, leaving their friends behind, family behind.

They had to make new friends.

Hopefully, they'll settle in fine. They've got to want it.

If they don't wanna go, then it probably won't happen.

Gordon hopes his job as a sports development officer may provide their ticket out of the UK.

Hello, Sports Council for Wales, Gordon speaking.

My job is getting more people physically active to try and reduce the burden on the health service.

Gordon's job is not on the national wanted list, so he could only work in South Australia on a temporary visa.

So if things go wrong I'm not sure we'll qualify for any child benefit, which adds to the cost implications.

And it's another thing, really, to worry about.

They're keen to find out whether the grass is greener on the other side of the world.

But for the girls, it means moving away from their biological father.

I definitely would miss my dad.

If I moved to Australia,

I probably wouldn't see him at all.

I'd probably see him, like,

not even once a year.

I don't know until I've visited Australia, but I don't really wanna move that much

because I'm gonna miss my friends and I like it in Cardiff.

Two years ago the family were devastated when, at 11 years old,

Ray's son, Jacob, lost his battle with leukaemia.

Jacob was my first child.

He was a very special boy.

Very kind. He was so full of life on the ward, the life and soul really.

We just thought he'd recover.

Unfortunately, he'd only been at high school a month and he relapsed.

They started treating him again.

He had radiotherapy...and chemo.

And he had a bone-marrow transplant and it didn't work.

My mum got the news that Jacob was gonna,

like, go...

away from us. We were all devastated.

Then they said he had a few months to live but he didn't.

He only lived a few days.

The family definitely darkened a little bit when Jacob went.

It was a bolt out the blue.

It was just awful. And we just never thought he would die.

Ray hopes a move down under will give the family a fresh start

and enable her to give up work and become a full-time mum.

I think my priorities have changed a lot.

I've missed a period of the girls' lives.

When we were back home from hospital it was like, gosh, you've grown up.

After Ray being robbed of so much time with Jacob,

having that extra time with Cameron and with the girls,

because you just don't know what's around the corner.

After uprooting their family once already

and the tragedy of Jacob's death, would they have the strength to face another upheaval?

My biggest fear is really us going out there and not settling.

It did takes the girls quite a time to move from Lancashire down here to Cardiff, to settle in.

When you're 24 hours away from family and friends, it's a big commitment.

With so much at stake, the week ahead is going to be critical in helping them decide their future.

To help them discover whether it will live up to their expectations,

we're giving them a trial run of life for one week in Adelaide.

We have three different lifestyles for the family to sample.

One in the country, one in the city and one on the coast, each with an offer of a job

and a brand-new way of life for them to enjoy on their budget.

First, let's take a look at the country lifestyle.

Escape to the serene Adelaide country

where you can relax and recharge among magnificent views and wildlife.

On a salary of £30,000, living out in the country would be affordable

with homes ranging from as little as £180,000 to £300,000.

An exciting position is available at Prospect Council.

The deputy CEO, Thornton Harfield, tells us more.

Hi, Gordon, and welcome to Adelaide, South Australia.

They're looking for a project manager to turn a suburban sports ground

into a regional recreation complex.

Gordon, this is a great project where you'd be working with a dynamic and hard-working team.

When you come to Adelaide, drop by.

So that's the kind of lifestyle they can enjoy in the country.

Let's see what's possible in the city on their budget.

Often referred to as the city within a park,

Adelaide's completely surrounded by green space.

There's a feast of sports you can join in within the city's parklands and you'll find it hard to be bored.

Adelaide has many residential areas in and around the city with something to suit all tastes.

A typical family home in an outer suburb ranges from £220,000 to £290,000.

A salary of £35,000 might be yours working for the Adelaide Crows football team -

Aussie Rules of course.

Hi, Gordon. I'm Craig Burton from the Adelaide football club.

We've got a great position here and we think it's gonna suit you.

We're looking for someone to develop our community programme.

We currently visit over 30,000 children a year in the schools in South Australia

and we want to bring some of those children into the club.

Adelaide's a great place to live and work -

just ask our British-born ruckman, Brad Moran. Here you are, Brad.

You won't regret it, Gordon, the best move I ever made.

It looks like their life could shape up pretty well in the city.

But what about a new life on the coast?

Adelaide's coastal districts stretch out over an area of almost 18 miles

so there's plenty of choice of beaches, harbours and water sports.

Properties right on the sea front are expensive

but, inland, homes sell for between £200,000 and £300,000.

On offer is a salary of £24,000 with a sports industry body,

as CEO Jan Sutherland explains.

We're looking for a training manager who's innovative and dynamic and has great communication skills.

The role encompasses training and also some lecturing in the sport and recreation industry.

So, we had three possible options for the Clarks.

In the country, Gordon could expect a lower income but the properties are cheaper.

The city option comes with a higher salary but the property is more expensive.

And the coastal option means Gordon wouldn't be earning as much

but the lifestyle would be right up his street.

So three very different possibilities for our family to try.

So which one did we decide would suit them best?

The Clark family are heading for Adelaide and the city option.

As they touch down after their 21-hour flight,

they're all jetlagged and tired but Gordon's still sore about something.

We got split up because a couple of the girls got upgraded to business class.

So Ray went up with the baby and one of the girls. They swapped, I've been in cattle class all the way.

Why we got business class for the baby so Gordon opted me for that. That was OK. We liked it, didn't we?

We've lost a complete day.

Monday the 18th of August has gone because we've been stuck in the air.

In a couple of hours, we'll probably be zonked.

They're on the road and on their way to their base for the week -

a typical Adelaide family home just a stone's throw from town.

Wow!

This four-bedroom house is just the sort of property

the Clarks would be looking for and includes the Aussie barbeque!

-Do you know how to work these things?

-Are the neighbours well insured?!

It has masses of space for three energetic kids...

-Do you want to go and find the bedrooms, girls?

-Yeah!

..and a travel-weary mum and dad.

-Oh, wow. That's good. This is Cameron's bed.

-Wa-hey!

You go night-night, you go night-night.

We've kept the best room until last.

-What have we not seen, Leah? Oh, my goodness me.

-Cool.

-This would be my kind of living room.

-Ah!

-It's just amazing!

I hope we've got films to watch.

You're not on holiday, Gordon. There's work to be done!

The next few days are very important.

If we'd come on holiday, we probably wouldn't do some of the things that we need to do -

look at house prices, what it does cost to live in Adelaide,

look at what opportunities there are in jobs.

So, as a starter, it's been good so far but we've got a lot more information to find out this week.

They certainly have. If the house prices or Gordon's work plans don't pan out,

then the whole trip could be in vain.

The Clark family could return home to the UK disappointed.

Back in the UK, the Clarks' family home, worth £300,000, is their castle.

They hope a move down under could leave them almost mortgage-free,

allowing Ray to stop work and spend more time with the kids.

If they're to achieve this, they must stay within their budget of £200,000.

That's just over 400,000 Australian dollars.

Adelaide is still one of the cheapest Australian cities for property

but they may struggle to find quite what they're looking for.

Some difficult compromises might have to be made.

It's all right.

-What d'you think then?

-Nice area.

I notice there's a main road behind it which is something we'd have to think about,

but the area itself is lovely.

-I like the address, Happy Valley.

-Yeah.

Property one is a four-bedroom bungalow on the market

for 400,000 or £195,000, which is just under their original budget.

-That's nice.

-Oh, yeah. I love that picture on the wall.

-It's nice.

The Clarks want something with a bit more space than where they're staying.

This is better.

-This is bigger.

-Yeah, this is good.

Nice big kitchen.

-Big lounge.

-Yeah, I love this open plan. Yeah, this kind of house.

Lots of space, that's what we need.

I just spotted the master bedroom. Let's look in there.

Well, Ray, you've got enough room for your clothes here.

I've never got enough room in the wardrobe back in Cardiff.

-Mum, this is my room.

-Nice try, Leah, but you guys will have to fight it out over the other three bedrooms.

I like this one.

-This is definitely mine.

-This is nice.

-It's nice and big.

It's still smaller than my one at home though.

You two girls could have these as cosy rooms and then that living room could be your playroom.

This is a nice bedroom. I'd probably pick it as my bedroom.

-It's cosy.

-Yeah.

-It's my bedroom.

I think it might be war. But the age-old struggle for the biggest room

is a good sign - at least they can see themselves living here.

-What's in there?

-What's in this room?

-It's the bathroom!

Wow, there's three little rooms to it.

You've got your toilet...

Oh, right, so they're all separate rooms. That helps.

If you want you could knock a couple of walls out and make a nice big bathroom.

I like it like this because it's more private.

-You don't have to wait for people to come out the bath to go to the toilet.

-Yeah, that's good.

So if they're not fighting over the bathroom, then they'll have plenty of time to relax in the garden.

You could launch yourself into a big pool in there.

You could have a little bar and Gordon could bring us cool drinks.

There's one chance.

But for Ray there's no point de-stressing in the pool when she gets stressed out by the traffic.

You can hear the road noise.

Size-wise, excellent, but the traffic's obviously continuous.

This house maybe round the corner would be good.

But it's financial issues that are in the front of Gordon's mind.

I'm a bit concerned about the price in terms of what you're getting for the money.

But we're looking at two other areas as well so I think it would be unfair to compare

-until we look at the other properties.

-Yeah.

I think we've got to be open-minded and see what else there is to offer.

In that case, let's get back on the road and check out property number two,

20 minutes out of the town and just a short drive to the beach.

This looks nice. I like the front of it.

Much better. You need a chairlift to get up the drive.

This four-bedroom property is more expensive at 430,000 or £210,000.

The Clarks would need a small mortgage if they were to afford this house.

This is better.

Let's put you down, young man.

There we go. Oh, I feel at home already.

Right, who's going through to the next room first?

Oh, this is fantastic!

Yes, I like this. Oh, yeah.

This is what I think of as Australian houses.

-Yeah. Lots of room.

-Brilliant.

-It's got a lot of potential.

Yeah, I like this. I love this area.

Property two may be a bungalow but the huge floor space

allows for two dining areas and two living areas.

And the bedrooms are big as well.

Nice super king bed in here.

One thing I'd have to change is the tiles in here.

Too old.

They're not very nice.

-Pink, flowery.

-Yes, they would have to go.

Cameron doesn't seem so worried about the slightly outdated bath tiles.

-This way, Cameron.

-See, he's loving this house.

He's not moaned in this house.

He might do when he sees the garden.

-I love all this rockery, it's beautiful.

-Oh, cracking view over that way.

-It's quite nice up here.

-Yeah, it is.

I don't think I could look after the garden.

It looks a bit high-maintenance.

That's a job for when Nanny comes in the summer.

Lucky Nanny! High-maintenance garden aside, what do the Clarks think of property number two?

This is Australia as I was thinking before I came out.

It's got a lot of good features. Good location,

it's got schools nearby. You can commute into the city from here.

And we're near the beach as well which is good.

It would be nice to see it in the summer but we are in the winter

and it's been raining and it's cold. It's not all sunshine.

It certainly feels like a home.

-It feels like a family home, more importantly.

-Yeah.

Property two seems like their ideal home

and, being so close to the beach, it can also provide them with the Aussie lifestyle they're after.

But they've still got one more house to check out.

Property three is an eight-minute drive from the centre of Adelaide.

It has three bedrooms and a great big garden.

It's priced at 480,000 or £235,000

which is £65,000 over their dream of life mortgage-free.

All these figures are just too much for Cameron and he goes for a lie down.

I'm going to put the baby down.

Time to go to sleep.

Come on, let's see what else we can find.

-The main room.

-It's quite a small living space, isn't it?

-Is it? It's a nice big kitchen as well.

It's a bit hidden away as well. Big pantry again.

Aww.

Shall we go and find the bedrooms?

Who's going to get the best room in this house?

This is sweet.

I like it, I'd probably have it as my bedroom, if it was the best one. Well, it is, so far, the best one.

Don't bagsy the room yet, Leah, you might find you like bedroom two, and it's pink.

The kids' rooms are well done out.

Yeah, they're lovely.

I don't like the window. The window's straight onto a fence and a caravan.

I don't like that bit.

It could be a toss of a coin again.

There isn't a fourth bedroom so the girls would have to share.

While Cameron sleeps, there's just time to take a peek at the garden.

-A nice back garden for Cameron.

-Yeah.

But...

-Industry.

-It's blocking the sun for the light, isn't it?

-I don't like this one at all.

-We need four bedrooms at least.

We probably will have a lot of visitors.

Property in Adelaide has gone up... well, in Australia, period, it has gone up quite a lot

from previous programmes I've seen. People used to say

you get so much for your money in Australia but not the case, I don't think, now. They've caught us up.

It's not gonna be as simple or straightforward as we thought.

The dream was to get rid of the mortgage completely.

I don't think that's gonna be possible.

There's definitely gonna be a mortgage but hopefully not as big.

So we need to see if the wages reflect the rest of it.

No pressure then!

The Clarks have seen three properties.

House one had plenty of space inside but the noise of the traffic outside really put them off.

They all loved the second house but Nanny would really have her work cut out in the garden.

And property three proved that city living comes at a price,

and being so close to an industrial park didn't go down well at all.

With all that in mind, which way will they vote on property, UK or Australia?

I really want to vote...

sort of level, neither for or against.

But we do have to make a collective decision so I think we're gonna have a go.

And our vote is...

-Australia.

-Great Britain.

-Great Britain.

-Australia.

It's a 50:50 split but does it mean a change of heart for Leah?

So some disagreement on potential properties in Adelaide and it's clear

the onus is on Gordon to find work to finance a new lifestyle.

Back home Gordon works as a sports development officer, where he earns £38,000 a year.

He loves the work he does in the UK so the job here would have to be special to convince him to move.

It's the big work day with the Australian Rules football team. It should be interesting.

I know nothing about that but sports development, recreation development is the same whichever sport.

If the Clarks are even to consider making this move, Gordon's salary

here would have to be high enough to support the whole family.

I think if the salary is not at the level that we're looking for, then that might be the final nail.

I think it might well be, no, we're gonna have to stick it out at home with both of us working,

or we have to have a complete rethink about is it possible, really, for Ray to stay off work?

I think certainly if it's not at the level that we're looking for

then I think that probably is the end of the Australian dream.

Even if today's job pays enough on a temporary visa they'd be unable

to claim any state benefit so the pressure's really on.

Meanwhile, across town, Ray and the kids are checking out

how far their pennies will stretch at the local market and how they'd cope on one income.

Nice pasta. Look at all these meats here.

Try a piece, see what you think.

Melting cheddar, so that's like cooking cheddar.

-I like it.

-I don't think anything's particularly cheap

looking at some of the prices.

I think it's the same.

From the various bits of shopping we've done some things are actually more expensive.

I noticed nappies seem to be more expensive. Chocolate, double!

It's really expensive. Maybe it's because of the imports.

Everything else, I think, is on a par. I think people moving

out here are gonna be shocked at how much everything costs.

If you're emigrating out here I think you need the same salary

as what you've got in Britain because your money isn't going to spread any further.

So it's essential that Gordon can achieve a good salary.

He's heading for the AAMI Stadium in the centre of the city,

home to Aussie Rules football team the Adelaide Crows.

We've arranged for him to meet human-resources manager and ex-player, Craig Burton

to find out more about the exciting new job they're offering.

-Gordon.

-Hi.

-How you going?

-Great to meet you, Craig.

Welcome to the Adelaide footy club.

Thanks very much. It's not a sport we do much in the UK so I'm interested to find out more.

The Crows are one of the premier clubs in Australia.

They use this position of influence to educate up to 30,000 children a year on a variety of life skills.

Part of Gordon's role would be in schools on the frontline.

What would be the job, in a nutshell, really?

In a nutshell, it's using our brand,

the Adelaide football club or the Crows, to go into schools and try

and deliver some really good messages, whether that be better

ways of eating, better ways to exercise, better ways to teach kids how to make the right decisions.

So it's adding to an already good education system using

the Adelaide football club brand to deliver the programme.

Your role would be co-ordinating that whole thing.

This is an area used quite a bit in the football club.

Part of your role will be working with the players.

A lot of our younger players, our first-year players who may not play every week, they'll do a lot

of the community work. The senior players, our top echelon,

if you want to compare one of our players to an English Premier League

senior player, say a David Beckham or something like that,

those guys still have a set amount of appearances they have to do in the community.

-How about we go outside and have a look at the oval?

-OK, yeah. Great.

Back at Central Market, Ray's worried about how Gordon's getting on at work.

I think Gordon's not sure what to expect today.

He's hoping that the pay would be similar to Britain.

I think he'd be disappointed if it's half the pay, or even lower.

-He's got a lot of apprehensions about it.

-She's all too aware that a good income

means she could be a stay-at-home mum.

I just want to spend time with Cameron.

I know how quickly they grow up, and life can be short,

as we know with losing our precious Jacob.

I don't want the rushing here, rushing there, the pressure of life.

I think in Britain we've got it wrong.

I think it's important to be at home for your children.

I think family is the most important thing.

At the stadium, Craig's decided that since Gordon doesn't have

Aussie Rules in his blood, it needs putting there.

A knowledge of the game would be essential for this job.

Blooming heck! It's a lot bigger than I thought.

A perfect excuse for a bit of a kick around.

I tell you what, how about we go out in the oval and I'll show you how to kick?

-OK.

-Come on, let's go.

There you go.

-Easy.

-Excellent.

-Do you want to try?

As long as they edit that bit into my kick!

That would be terribly unethical, Gordon.

You'll have to show Craig you've got the skills to pay the bills if you want this job.

-Like this?

-That look pretty good.

-And just have a go, yeah?

-Aim for the big sticks, watch the ball.

-OK!

We'll sign him up, I think.

That guy's all right.

-That's not a bad kick.

-Maybe I'll get a game on Sunday.

-You never know, kicking like that. Well, done.

-Thoroughly enjoyed it.

It's not that difficult, this.

-Easy game, isn't it?

-Well, maybe not.

I'll go in the stands next time before I come and play.

I didn't want to say that, Gordon, but I think you'd be better off behind the desk.

What sort of salary package is on offer for a role like this?

Probably in that 70,000 sort of range.

We're also looking at providing a vehicle which will add to the salary.

That certainly is a good range I think.

So Gordon would be paid a salary equivalent of £35,000 but the

company car takes his earnings above what he gets in the UK.

I think it went really well. I think Gordon's skills and everything about

him, his personality, was really good. Oh, look at that!

We have a programme that we're trying to establish and

Gordon so far, I haven't spoken to anyone else, fits the bill.

This is easy, can I have a job?

The package is a similar level to what I'm on now,

and the car makes it very worthwhile as well because there will be lot of travelling, etc.

So with a good salary then we can get rid of the mortgage, just about.

Yeah, the options are wide open now.

Sounds good, but there's still the all-important vote on work. Will it be the UK or Australia?

Well, it's been a great day here with the Adelaide Crows.

Not only have I learnt about a potential job opportunity,

I've also learned a bit of Aussie Rules football which I've never done before.

The job really is something that I think I would enjoy doing

and with that in mind my vote is going to be...

Australia!

Many Brits who visit Australia are astonished by

the sheer size of the country compared to the little-old UK.

So here's some advice if you decide to travel down under.

Australia's a vast and massive land.

You could actually put the UK in it 32 times and Europe in it twice.

The longest internal flight in the world is in Austria from Perth to Brisbane or vice versa.

It's over 5½ hours' flying time.

From the UK you could fly for four hours and be in Egypt.

So, with a total land area of almost three million square miles, what's the best way to get from A to B?

It's very important to plan your itinerary properly.

You can't quickly pop over to Sydney then pop to Alice Springs

and Ayers Rock and then go to see the Great Barrier Reef. You can't do that in a day, or even in a week.

There's nothing like a little bit of local knowledge to help you on your way.

What do the Aussies themselves recommend you see?

Ayers Rock because it is truly Australian and the

local people there, the indigenous Aboriginals, are fantastic to meet.

I'd go up to the Gold Coast around Queensland, Cairns. Western Australia's great.

Places like Kakadu National Park just blow you away.

The Whitsunday Islands, which is lovely to fly to and then do a boat cruise.

And if you do plan to travel around Australia please leave your Aussie stereotypes at home.

People think we wear cork hats and walk around like Crocodile Dundee, it's not the case.

There are some people like that but they are few and far between.

Gordon and Ray Clark from Cardiff are convinced that their life would

improve greatly if they moved to Australia.

I'm hoping it's a better lifestyle and a better future for the children, and

so it's a case of let's have a look before it's too late.

Gordon's confident he could find a job he loves as much as his occupation at home.

'I must admit I was really impressed actually.'

I think if there was an opportunity here then I'd definitely have a look at it.

But surviving on a single salary may mean that life in Oz isn't all it's cracked up to be.

I think people moving out here are gonna be shocked at how much everything costs.

If you're emigrating out here I think you need the same salary as what you've got in Britain

because your money isn't going to spread any further.

And having already been uprooted four years ago when they moved to Cardiff, can Gabby and Leah be persuaded to

relocate again, this time to the other side of the world?

I don't wanna move again,

and I can't really keep in touch with my dad because we'd be half way around the world.

I like Australia but I think I wanna stay in Cardiff.

Without the girls on board Gordon and Ray's dream may never become reality.

Day five of the Clarks' Australia trial week and as they reflect on the life-changing decision

they've got to make Gordon and Ray realise

they've got some convincing to do with animal-loving Leah and Gabby.

What's that?

You're just beautiful.

They're kangaroos, they go bouncy.

Oh, my God, I don't like the emus.

Mr Emu.

Look at this one.

Of all the Aussie animals, there's one they really want to meet.

-He's so gorgeous.

-He's so soft.

Would you like to have a hold?

-Absolutely.

-He's coming across.

-There we are.

-He is just gorgeous.

Back in the UK, Ray and Gordon often plan trips

based on some of Jacob's favourite activities to help remember him by.

He would have loved it, yeah.

He would probably be trying to box the kangaroos and stuff!

-He'd love it.

-He didn't see all this different wildlife that we're seeing.

He did see it in books and films but not in the person.

It would be really fun with him there.

Yeah, the wildlife was just Jacob.

It was just him. He just adored

nature, he cared about the planet.

Coming to Australia was a big thing about the wildlife because we was gonna come with Jacob last year.

His dream was to work with wildlife.

So it is a big thing and he would have loved all this.

It's great to see that and it's

a way of remembering Jacob.

We're going to go back home and we're going to be talking about

holding the koala, feeding the kangaroos, Leah running away from the emus.

It will just be fun and we don't have enough of that.

Leah has had plenty of time to reflect on thoughts of leaving the UK behind.

I like Australia but I think I want to stay in Cardiff.

I love it

but I've settled in in Cardiff.

I could probably settle in Australia

but I don't want to move again

and I can't keep in touch with my dad because

I'd live half way round the world from him.

Would you like to have a hold? Pop your hands out.

Just put your hands like that.

Just let him climb over wherever he wants.

I'm really, really, really enjoying it.

It's probably the best day.

Oh, he's slithering all the way down me.

I really would miss my dad and my friends, my best friend especially.

I'd have trouble with them.

I suppose we could e-mail each other but it's hard with the time differences and everything.

It's OK but I can't see myself living here.

The Clarks' exploration into the Aussie lifestyle has been

important for all the family but the time to reflect has brought doubts to the surface.

How will they vote based on their day?

Is the lifestyle better in the UK or in Australia?

The last few days in Australia have been pretty impressive.

There's so much to do and see and I think overall...

Our vote is...

Australia.

All week the Clark family has been undecided

whether or not to move down under.

Will hearing message from friends and family help them make their final decision?

We've compiled some thoughts from loved ones back home.

Up first are family friends the Tanners.

We've a very close relationship with the Clarks and we're like one big happy family really.

When they moved in, Gordon was by his car one day

and I said, "If there's any parcels you'd like me to take out."

He said, "Does that include babysitting?" So we've become very close.

Just letting you know if you go I will be upset but it's up to you

because I'm your best friend

-but really miss you.

-Gabby is very sweet,

intelligent, and very bright. She's already mastered the Welsh language

and she won't have a problem with the Aussie twang out there I'm sure.

Leah's more of a robust tomboy -

the one who will want to go outback and have a look at the wildlife.

Gordon's strengths are

he's very organised, he likes to be in control and he's very dedicated

to his work and to his family life.

When our family were introduced to Jacob's condition,

Gordon was again tested.

It must have taken its toll on Gordon's nerve and goodwill.

But that man deserves a medal for everything that he's been challenged with.

She's a wonderful mother

and has coped tremendously over her terrible loss.

And she's a...

fine, fine young woman.

She's such a fighter and a survivor

that you don't really know what she's going through because she takes everything in her stride.

With her move to Australia, she's not necessarily putting away

her memories of Jacob,

it's more to do with her moving on and taking herself and her family

forward into a new environment.

But Jacob will be there wherever she goes.

I don't want her to go.

I'm scared a bit because I don't want to lose her because...

We would miss them tremendously because we would miss seeing them every day.

We'd miss the family life we all have together.

We can't really imagine it, to be honest.

Well, Lauren is going to miss you.

I was filling up for you.

It was nice to hear what they had to say and the nice things and it

was slightly more emotional than I thought it would be.

You looked like you were going to cry.

It was quite emotional actually.

It was when Uncle David said you deserve a medal it looked like you were

going to start blubbering.

Were you emotional, Leah?

It was nice to hear them saying that they would miss us and that.

It was upsetting,

because if we did move here to Australia

we would have to leave them all behind.

We wouldn't be able to see them as often.

Like with my dad,

we can drive down to see him and I've got lots of friends there

and I wouldn't want to leave any of them.

Now I want to stay in Cardiff.

I was all for coming here at first, though.

I don't want to go either. If we did move and it was like my last week,

that would be really upsetting.

I think we have to do what's right for our family.

It's no foregone conclusion yet

in terms of whether it is Australia or the UK.

We've got a lot of thinking and decisions still to make

but at least now we can make them on an informed basis.

The week in Adelaide has been mixed for the Clarks with the

girls reluctant to uproot and leave their school and friends behind.

For Gordon and Ray though, Australia seems to offer the new start they so crave.

It's the Clarks' last day in Adelaide,

and they've had a tough week test-driving what life could be like down-under.

Their dream of living mortgage free and the cost of living in Oz was a real wake-up call.

It looks like property in Adelaide has gone up.

People always used to say you get so much for your money in Australia

but it's not the case any more - I think they've caught us up.

Against all expectations, Gordon found a job he liked.

Before I came I wasn't sure about work and with the football team,

I knew nothing about it. But they were really welcoming.

I thoroughly enjoyed it.

The atmosphere added to the buzz I got when I left on that day.

But with friends and family so far away, the Clarks are facing a heart-wrenching decision.

I think we have to do what's right for our family.

It's no foregone conclusion yet in terms of whether it's Australia or the UK.

And their week down under has only reinforced for the girls what a huge step it would be for them.

I really would miss my dad and my friends, my best friend especially.

There's no doubt about it, Gabby's - "No, I'm not going."

When I saw the wildlife park I was like, yeah, we're definitely staying in Australia,

but I think I want to stay in Cardiff.

After a roller-coaster week of string emotions

it looks like the Clarks could be split on their decision to move.

They are voting for their future, but where will it be?

If the girls vote 'no' here, Ray and Gordon's hopes could be in tatters.

It's our final day today. We've had a bit of an up-and-down week.

We've looked at the lifestyles, we've looked at property, we've

looked at employment opportunities

and I think we've had some very good highs and some very low lows.

But overall I think our vote is going to be...

Australia.

Wow, that's a turn-up for the books.

You vote for Australia too!

Gabby and Leah weren't convinced at first they would fit

into a new life in Australia but in the end they saw

the whole family could have a happy future if the Clarks were to move where they're wanted down under.

Join us next time and find out what happens when another British family

have to decide whether to go where they're wanted down under.