Hughes Wanted Down Under

Hello and welcome to Wanted Down Under, the show that catapults a British family

right across to the other side of the world to help them make

the biggest decision of their life.

Dave and Jenny Hughes and their children Rhiannon and Rhys

are considering a life-changing move down under.

It feels like they work too hard for little reward.

You seem to be working harder and harder

and yet there's less disposable income

for yourselves and money to enjoy.

Fate has dealt Dave and Jenny some harsh blows in the past.

We got married and, at the wedding breakfast, I actually came down with a brain illness.

I was touch and go.

So I could have been married and widowed within a number of hours, really.

Diesel mechanic Dave has skills that are in demand in Australia.

You're my man. When are you moving over?

And will the pain of leaving family behind prove unbearable?

I'll miss everybody a lot, because we really are a close family.

It's harder for me,

because I take everyone's emotions on board.

The Hughes face some hard choices.

After the trial week, they'll have to vote.

Will it be for a fresh start where they're wanted down under?

The gloomy economic forecast in the UK makes

the sunnier climes of Australia pretty enticing for many.

And those under 45 and with a skill that's in demand

could be packing their bags for a new life down under.

Last year, over 60 Brits a day did just that.

But what goes into making such a huge decision?

We've given 20 British families the chance of a lifetime -

a week down under to see if it's all they've ever dreamt it would be.

They'll then have to vote one way or the other.

Will they stay in the UK or will they move to Australia?

The Hughes family from Liverpool think moving to Australia could make life a whole lot better.

Dave, who's a diesel mechanic, finds his working week hugely demanding.

The orientation towards family life, it's gone dead in the UK.

It's all work and no play.

Me average day, generally, is between five and half five most mornings.

Leave the house just after six o'clock.

I'm not likely to be in until after seven, half seven of a night some nights.

Just generally chasing my tail, most of the days.

D-E-L-A...

His wife Jenny combines being a housewife and mother with two part-time jobs.

You seem to be working harder and harder and yet

there's less disposable income for yourselves and money to enjoy.

Here, it's speeding up faster and faster.

And there's no way you can see it slowing down.

# This is the modern way... #

They're both looking for more quality time to spend with their children,

11-year-old Rhiannon and Rhys, who's five.

Australia could benefit for us in that way, to being family orientated.

This is the chance they get to just be children.

And I think their childhood's a really important part,

the most important part of their life.

Jenny and Dave have had more than their fair share of ups and downs.

Their life together didn't get off to a good start.

We got married

and at the wedding breakfast, I actually come down with a brain illness.

I was touch and go.

Probably only a 20% chance of surviving.

The question I asked Dave was, "How did you get through it?"

Because he was seriously ill and nearly died on our wedding day.

I could have been married and widowed within hours, really.

But, for Dave, the answer he gave me was he knew his life was facing him

and he had a life to look forward to.

Dave's brush with death has taught them to seize the day.

It's better to have done something with your life than to have regrets that you never did.

We're looking at it that way, we've got the chance to do it and we want to do it.

If things aren't right and it doesn't suit us, we can come back.

Dave and Jenny are determined to make the most of their lives,

but family has an enormous pull.

They have large extended families living close by

and both sets of grandparents play a huge part in the children's lives.

The hardest thing I would be giving up would be my family.

I would come back if Jenny didn't like it.

Because, at the end of the day, I married Jenny.

I would have to stick by her.

No marriage is worth that. If she didn't like it, I would have to come back.

When they come to making a decision, it's vital that Dave can persuade Jenny that a move down under

would be worth the pain of leaving family behind.

To help the Hughes make the right choice, we offered them the challenge of a lifetime -

a week in Darwin in Australia's Northern Territory,

to find out whether they could make a new life there.

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.

Darwin's tropical climate means the countryside

is full of exotic vegetation and beautiful scenery.

This really is the great outdoors.

Houses in the country are pretty affordable.

A three-bedroom home will cost upwards of £170,000.

You could earn up to £28,000 with this multinational company.

Craig Fitzgibbon is a service manager.

A large focus of our work is predominantly military, whether it's Army or Navy.

We also do a fair amount of work on mining, engine rebuilds and transmission overhauls.

We're always on the lookout for talented staff to join us at MTU Detroit.

We employ a staff of approximately 18, with ten technicians on the floor.

We're looking for someone easygoing who can adapt to a team environment.

So if you enjoy the outdoors lifestyle,

laid-back attitude, Darwin may be the place for you, Dave.

So, feel free to give us a call if you make it to town.

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.

Darwin is steeped in history,

yet constantly evolving, with development projects

keeping the city at the cutting edge of contemporary living.

But all that comes at a price.

A three-bedroom house in the city

can fetch well over £200,000.

This family business has been trucking for around 70 years

and has grown into one of the largest road train operators in Australia.

They're always on the lookout for engineers to join their team.

You could earn up to £30,000.

Ken Scott is the maintenance manager.

This is our Darwin-based workshop.

We employ 25 mechanics, working on a wide variety of vehicles.

This is our rebuild room.

We rebuild these engines and expect at least a 10,000-hour life span from the engines.

We go the extra miles to make sure the rebuilds are a good quality.

Darwin has a great lifestyle choice, a great place for your kids, great outdoors.

When you come to Darwin, Dave, come and see me.

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

But what about a new life on the coast?

A huge natural harbour provides Darwin

with attractive waterside living, while you can relax and take in

the gorgeous views of the Timor Sea.

But property on the coast will eat into your income.

A three-bedroom home near the sea will cost nearly £300,000.

This job, with a potential salary of up to £33,000,

is on offer with a local company, specialising in truck maintenance and repair.

Service manager Mark King is looking for diesel fitters like you.

Most of our trucks is just freight in and out of Darwin.

We have anywhere up to 200-300 trucks a week in and out of Darwin,

and most of them are triple road trains up to 50 metres long, with high horsepower.

There's a lot of maintenance involved.

The main thing we're after is someone interested in working,

keen to give it a go and who will listen so we can train on the job.

80% of the time the weather's absolutely beautiful for any outdoor lifestyle.

Mate, I believe the Territory's God's country and I wouldn't want to live anywhere else.

So, the three different lifestyles look equally exciting.

But the Hughes could only try one.

Will it be life in the great outdoors,

where property is cheaper but the commute longer?

Or the city of Darwin, with its hustle and bustle,

where house prices are higher?

Or what about the coast, lapped by tropical seas

but with property prices at the top end of their budget?

So, three very different possibilities for our family to try.

Which one did we decide would suit them best?

The Hughes are trying a coastal lifestyle

8,500 miles from home in Darwin, capital of the Northern Territory.

After a journey lasting over 22 hours, they arrive at 4am local time

and the reality of the distance is beginning to bite.

It's the first time any of them have set foot in Australia.

-It's a long way isn't it?

-A very long way to come, but it's been enjoyable.

Are you looking forward to being in Australia?

Whoo!

His mum and dad may be exhausted but Rhys is full of energy

and raring to go and meet some of the locals.

Crocodiles and worms and spiders.

After one or two mishaps...

..the Hughes make their way to the house they're staying in for the week.

It's a large family home in Larrakeyah,

named after the Aboriginal people, the original inhabitants of Darwin. It's just minutes from the coast.

So far, Rhiannon's impressed.

Because we've got more space.

It looks great. My God.

-You're not normally speechless!

-Yeah!

The kitchen's bigger than our living room.

The sheer size, it's amazing, that...

It makes our house look really poky.

You could fit our house in the garage!

And the pool's big enough.

-Fantastic.

-If things go by what it's like in the dark, it'll be a wow factor again in the morning.

But, for now, it's time for bed.

Back in the UK, the Hughes family live

in a small terraced house, worth about £100,000,

in the heart of Liverpool.

They're very pressed for space, especially outdoors

and are hoping to find something better in Australia.

They've set themselves a budget of £200,000, including a mortgage, if they were to move.

Property prices in Darwin have been climbing steadily recently.

But Dave's profession as a diesel mechanic

gives him great earning potential.

So we've found three properties for them to view.

The first is in Palmerston, a short commute from central Darwin and within easy reach of the coast.

It's got three bedrooms,

plenty of living space

and a large garden.

It will cost the Hughes 400,000, that's about £180,000.

That's comfortably within their £200,000 budget.

Look at the cat, having a sleep.

There's certainly a lot of space and Dave's especially taken with the kitchen.

The one thing I like about it, I can actually reach in the cupboards.

They're not too high for me.

Over here they do actually have like a kitchenette, which is both of them together.

And they have a living area and entertainment areas.

Which you just couldn't do with any of them houses in the UK.

But that's not the only difference from UK houses.

The fan, as well. It's getting a bit hot.

Said we've been on top of a cupboard.

I'm glad I'm not 6 ft, or I'd have nothing at all on the top by then!

The decor's certainly different.

Wow, the face!

It's a bit like The Mummy! That's what happens in The Mummy.

But Jenny won't be scared off that easily.

She's already making plans.

This is a lot more roomy and airy.

You could have more people around a lot more often.

It's just a shame sometimes it's not people that we've got back in the UK that you can offer it to as much.

Fingers crossed they come over and visit us a lot more.

If friends were to visit, bedrooms would have to be up to scratch.

Nice wardrobes.

Right to the ceiling.

While Rhys explores the toy box,

Jenny can't help but compare this house to theirs back home.

I think Britain is noted for people living on top of each other a little bit more.

In a lot of ways, it's nice.

But I think once children get to a certain age,

especially as they get into adulthood,

at different ages you need a different level of space.

And talking of space, let's see what the garden has to offer.

This is nice, isn't it?

This is really nice.

You've found a bike?

It's on a large plot

set back from the road and has the swimming pool they dream of owning.

That's an asset in Darwin's steamy tropical climate,

where the year-round average temperature is 32 Celsius.

Jenny's very taken with the garden layout.

You've got your own privacy, obviously. You're not living too close to everybody else.

-And you're shaded as well.

-The way it is with the actual trees, it's like a paradise for us.

-Definitely.

-Yeah, it's like a paradise.

Dave's seeing the benefits of a large garden.

The way I look at it is, the kids can actually be kids.

They can come out in the garden, do what they want in the garden,

with us not really worrying what they're up to.

Jenny thinks the house has potential.

It's not necessarily my taste initially, but over a period of time you adjust it to yourself.

After that, property two has quite a lot to live up to.

It's another three-bedroom house in a quiet residential area of Darwin called Parap,

a couple of minutes from the sea.

To call this home, the Hughes would have to shell out 630,000

or £285,000, which would really stretch their budget.

First stop is the master bedroom, with an en suite bathroom.

Look at that!

And Jenny likes the sitting room.

It's got a warm feeling with the decor in here.

And a kitchen-diner twice as big as the one back home is a winner.

You've got plenty of preparation and plenty of storage space for things to be put away.

Fair sized bedrooms.

They've all got double beds.

We couldn't fit double beds in ours.

Our small rooms, there's only the one room you can fit a bed in and that's ours.

You're automatically pushed into bunk beds because you're trying to utilise the space upwards.

This house presents a great opportunity for a bit of order.

It's tidy because everything's got its place.

Especially with children, they bring that much stuff with them as well.

The main bathroom's a hit.

Can you imagine yourself in that bath with those windows?

I could. How about I sit in there, my Guinness on one side, another one on the other.

-That's me finished.

-That's really nice.

-It is.

Time to check outside.

There are fewer trees than the last house, so a different solution is needed to protect from the sun.

To be fair, that is quite a suntrap that pool, without that.

Are you coming in, Rhys?

The kids are very taken with that all-important pool.

It is nice, the way they've designed it.

They're reasonably positive about this house.

-A lovely table.

-A big one.

But let's see what property three has to offer.

It's a traditional elevated house with three bedrooms and loads of outdoor living space.

Located in the desirable suburb of Jingili,

it's 660,000, or just under £300,000, and considerably above their budget.

A house to aspire to in the future.

Dave's lost for words.

Jenny loves the contemporary touches.

-It's a lot more modern, a lot more us, really.

-Yes.

More up to date.

-I like the colours more.

-Yes, I do.

I really like the stainless steel. It just looks really clean.

She's beginning to appreciate how to live comfortably in Darwin's climate.

This is the beauty of this, it's cool and shaded.

Just the feeling and the surroundings of it is really nice.

Wow! Look at that.

Look, Rhys.

-Look at that pool.

-We've got the best of both worlds in this house.

-If you want to catch a bit of sun down there, you've got that facility.

-Yes.

You've got the pool to dip into and then if you're really feeling

overwhelmed with the heat, you've got the chance to come up here and cool off.

Jenny's getting a very good vibe about this house.

It's a home, it's not just a house.

There's a difference between a house and a home.

It's the feeling it gives you, especially when you walk in.

But what will they make of the door-less bathroom?

You could have, like, sliding doors with locks on.

You could. You could have sliding doors. There's one option.

Dave's keen to look on the bright side.

You probably shower more and more, so it's a quick in and out.

I agree. You can feel the breeze right the way through.

Rhiannon's mind is made up.

-I do prefer this house.

-Yeah, I do.

But what about Rhys?

What do you think of this, Rhys?

Do you think you would like this as a bedroom?

No?

Oh, well, you can't please everyone. But this might change his mind.

While the kids are making themselves at home, Jenny and Dave can hardly believe

what this house has to offer.

You'll be gobsmacked in a minute. Look what I've just found here.

Something that's always on the minds of families thinking of emigrating is where will close family stay.

This house has it all, a self-contained guest room.

Somebody could stay over, quite easily, if they wanted to.

That goes for friends and family. This has really impressed me.

This house has well impressed the pair of us, hasn't it?

It's just unbelievable. The views, the facilities.

But it's not over yet.

It's just unbelievable.

It's like the TARDIS, you keep getting that little bit extra all the time,

just when you think you've finished.

-What happens if you turn that corner, what else will we find down there?

-I love the trampoline.

-You love the trampoline?

-Woo!

Jenny and Dave need no persuading.

-There's not much more, you'd want out of a house.

-No.

-And this is just giving everything.

It's lovely for the children.

You've got the pool, you've got space where they can play.

All you have to do is sit outside and be with the family and just enjoy yourselves.

And Jenny's already noticing the difference that being in Australia is making to the family.

They haven't wanted to switch the television on.

They've found something else to do and as soon they've been up of a morning

they've wanted to get out and enjoy what's available to them.

So, how would the Hughes vote?

Property one offered plentiful space and shade but they didn't like the decor.

At £180,000, it was comfortably within their budget of £200,000.

Property two was beautifully done out with loads of storage space,

but the garden was less inviting and it would stretch their funds at £285,000.

And property three seemed to have it all, including space for visiting loved ones.

At just under £300,000, it's something they could aspire to afford in years to come.

So, as the Hughes consider a move down under, do they prefer property in the UK or Australia?

It's time to vote.

We've looked at three properties in Australia and each one has had

different qualities that we've liked.

But for us our vote, in comparison to the property we have in the UK, must go to...

ALL: Australia!

The Hughes family have been very taken with the houses in Australia.

And it's already clear they're falling in love with Darwin.

But, if they're going to make the move down under, it's vital Dave finds well-paid work.

But can he impress a potential boss?

He's all kitted out in safety boots,

off to test drive a job as a diesel fitter at a local truck maintenance garage.

How are you, mate? You must be Dave.

-Yes I am.

-I'm Mark King, the service manager here at Western Diesel.

-Pleased to meet you, mate.

They get straight down to business.

What sort of knowledge do you have on stuff like brakes and gearboxes?

I'm a time-served diesel fitter, from 16 years old.

I got as much experience as I possibly could and then I wanted to specialise,

so I specialised in the engine side of it.

-So it's the engine side mainly?

-It's the engine side mainly.

While Mark explains the nature of the job, Jenny's taking the kids out to a local playground in Darwin.

Their possible move to Australia is all Dave's idea and he hopes this week

will persuade Jenny that their future lies here.

But Jenny has a lot to leave behind and the decision will be far from easy.

For myself, more so, I think the emotional elements

have been a little bit more apparent before we came out.

Because it was the realisation of not seeing family for a long time.

And obviously that stirred quite a few emotions, maybe were unexpected.

For myself, I think it's a lot more in the forefront,

trying to imagine how life will be,

being on my own a bit more with not as much family around.

I think at home, not so much you take for granted, but you live with it all the time.

So it's thinking of how it's going to be without.

Back at the garage, perhaps Dave's biggest challenge is fitting

in with the rest of the team. They seem quite a scary bunch.

How busy are you today, then?

Steady?

-Yeah, steady.

-That's the way to be, isn't it?

Basically, I thought...I wanted to specialise.

Dave's not intimidated and gets right in there.

I wanted to get away from diesel, to work on landfill gas.

Everyone tries to avoid working on a bus.

And it looks like he's won them round.

Road haulage is an integral part of Darwin's economy

and 50-metre trucks are a familiar sight on the region's roads.

Pulling power of that sort requires ongoing maintenance, so it's time for Dave to show his mettle.

Meanwhile, Jenny's worrying about how Dave's getting on.

It will be crucial in their decision whether or not to emigrate.

For Dave, work's a major part of his life, obviously.

He's very dedicated to his job, always has been.

He's very professional in his view to work.

He's got to be settled in a job in Australia, find his feet and be comfortable.

And enjoy the work he's doing.

At the end of the day, his work is

going to have an effect on all of us as to how we all settle here.

Back at the garage, Dave's been doing his best to impress his possible future boss

and he takes the opportunity to grill Mark about the realities of working here.

The main thing, I believe, in keeping a good crew is to have a good home life.

If the kids never see your dad or your missus never sees her husband,

they're not going to hang around long.

So we've got try and work hard, make money and balance our lifestyle as well.

One of the reasons why I'm thinking of coming over here, is that reason.

We can all work hard and we're all here to make money.

But, at the end of the day, we live in Australia.

We live, especially in Darwin, for the lifestyle, mate.

We live here because it's God's country and we want to enjoy it.

It's been good to meet you, mate.

The salary on offer could be as much as £33,000,

compared to the £26,000 basic that Dave earns in the UK.

My impression of Dave, for one, as a person, he's got the right attitude.

He's a really, really nice guy. His knowledge is there and he's got the right attitude towards it.

I wouldn't have a hassle of employing him and giving him a go.

So, Dave could get a job.

But is the money enough for him and his family to afford to live here? Time to vote on work.

I think I could quite easily slot into this end of Australia.

My choice is...

Australia.

That's good news for Dave.

But there's still a long way to go before his dream of moving to Australia becomes a reality.

The Hughes family from Liverpool are finding out whether

a new life in the Australian sun would be right for them.

Until now, they'd never even been down under.

-It is a long way, isn't it?

-A very long way to come.

Life's been hard on Dave and Jenny.

We got married

and, at the wedding breakfast, I actually come down with a brain illness.

I was touch and go.

They're keen to make the most of their future.

-You're best to have done something with your life than to have regrets.

-And we look at it that way.

They liked the houses they've seen.

-There's not much more, really, I think you'd want out of a house.

-No.

But they're expensive.

We were surprised how much property is here.

I would say it is slightly dearer than other parts of Australia.

Could Dave earn enough to provide his family with the lifestyle they're now dreaming of?

And have they properly faced up to the reality of leaving everything they know behind?

If we could move everybody out here, that would be the perfect solution.

A few days into their trial week, Dave and the kids make the most

of the sunshine while Jenny grabs a rare moment of quiet.

She's reflecting on their experiences of life over the last few days.

This week, we've had a jam-packed week.

So I'm just writing the post cards and, at the moment,

there's not been enough room on them to write what we've done this week.

Her thoughts are never far from the people back home.

It would be an emotional pull for us here in Australia, away from family and friends.

Especially family for us, we are extremely close.

But obviously, deep down, it's always there.

It's the pull of family.

But after all that she and Dave have been through,

Jenny knows that you have to make the most of every opportunity.

Your life has to move on in a lot of ways for different people.

Sometimes you have no choice in the way life takes us.

But, for us, it is a choice we could make and it's a choice we'll have to make.

Our way of looking at it is

it's better to have had no regrets in life and done something with your life

than to have regrets that you've never done anything.

Looking at the children's future, opportunities on the work front for Dave,

Australia would possibly be the place we would be able to settle and make a new life for ourselves.

It may look good on paper, but the week's not over yet.

An important part of starting a new life in a new place is making good friends.

And, for Jenny especially, a social circle to make up for missing friends and loved ones back home

would be crucial.

To help them discover how easy it would be to settle in

and make friends, we arrange for the Hughes family to meet some locals.

It will be a good way for them to find out more about life in Darwin

before they make their massive decision.

Pleased to meet you.

In true British fashion, the conversation turns to the weather.

It's nice now. Just the worrying thing for us is the humidity.

We've heard about it, really.

Get an air conditioned car, an air conditioned office and away you go.

What did you say, Josh?

-I would like it if it was snowing at Christmas.

-Would you?

Do you know what? It doesn't always snow at Christmas.

-Or at Easter.

-Well, it does.

We had snow at Easter. Are you from the UK originally?

-Yeah.

-Where are you from?

-I was born and bred in London.

-So, how old were you when you came over?

-11.

What made him come up this way, to Darwin?

My dad was brought out here as managing director of a pharmaceutical company.

-He was brought out to set it up here.

-And never looked back?

-No.

Somebody else said last night his father had come over from Portsmouth.

And then they'd originally moved to Adelaide and he did exactly the same.

He said, "Once you go to Darwin, you never go back."

It's just a more relaxed lifestyle than down there.

So people sort of burn out and then come up here and get realistic.

Pleasantries out of the way, the women get chatting and the kids take to the swings,

while the men get down to the serious business of the barbecue.

To get into the Aussie barbecue spirit, Dave's trying his hand at a spot of cooking.

He's done it now. You're having that one.

Dad!

But Jenny can't resist taking over.

Little does she realise, barbecuing is man's work.

We've just been talking about how we don't let women near the barbecue.

-And then I take over.

-Now you've taken over!

You're having the broken one, Dave.

Having got over their culture shock

at the idea of men doing the cooking,

the Hughes enjoy breakfast with their Aussie chums.

It's amazing what happens when there's food.

-How's the Aussie tucker?

-Nice.

It seems their natural friendliness would help the Hughes family settle in.

But what what do they think? It's time to vote.

We spent the whole morning with a traditional Australian family today.

We really got on well with them, made friends with them instantly.

So our vote, today with getting to meet people, has to go with...

Australia!

The Hughes all feel they could settle in Australia.

It certainly looks like they would have no problems making friends.

But what about the people left behind?

We showed them some messages from friends and family in the UK.

-Hi, Jenny, Dave...

-Rhys, Riannon.

-Riannon, Rhys. We can't even get it right!

-Hi, Dave.

-Hi, Dave.

-Hope you enjoyed yourself, mate.

'I don't want you to run into anything hasty, mate.'

I just want everything to be right for you.

Don't worry about me on a Monday and Friday. I'll be all right getting to work. Don't worry about that.

Just a few words to say how much we will miss you,

'how much we love you and

'how much we would hope you make your right decision.'

You know, there's some lovely lives out there

and the kids are just young. You know?

'I think Jenny and Dave are doing it for them more than themselves.'

To go over there and get a better life for themselves, you couldn't argue.

They've been through a lot, from the day they got married, they've been through a lot.

But they've just always come out the other side.

'It makes them stronger, doesn't it?

'They seem to get stronger and stronger,'

whatever's thrown at them.

Dave's the life and soul of the party at times.

I've seen him dancing like a kangaroo once, when he had kangaroo meat.

But he wouldn't want us to say that, by the way.

He's always there...

Don't upset yourself.

He's hard working.

He's got a lovely family.

He'd do anything for anyone.

You know?

And he works damned hard for what he gets.

'They're both lovely kids.

'Riannon, I think she'll find it harder because she's a little bit older.

'She's becoming a teenager, so it'll be a bit tough for Riannon.'

'You know,'

I know Jenny and Dave are grown up but it's the little ones

that really bothers me and fills me up.

I'd miss them so much.

Sorry.

We would both miss them.

You know, Rhys is such a little character,

and Riannon, she's such a lovely child.

-JENNY'S DAD: Don't get upset.

-JENNY'S MUM: Easier said than done.

'Hi Jenny and Dave, Riannon and Rhys.'

I hope you decide the right thing.

I will miss you but I just hope you decide to do the right thing.

Won't stand in your way, me or your dad.

And I love you lots and I will miss you.

Your dad and I love you and the rest of the family love you.

I won't stand in your way, but I hope,

I surely hope that you will give it an awful lot of thought.

And we all love you.

And a mum's love is very strong.

Make your own decision, but remember we're always there for you.

Never, ever forget that.

All right, Riannon?

You're torn, I think, because,

especially for me, I think,

it's harder for me

because I take everyone's emotions on board.

I know I'll miss everybody a lot, because we really are a close family.

And I am the most torn

out of all this, because I think,

although I want to give the children a better life, and Dave and myself, and I know

Dave will probably have a better life out here as well as work.

He would have more enjoyment time and freedom and

be able to enjoy what he's working for a lot more here.

Our families do mean a lot to us.

But...

It's OK.

If we could move everybody out here, that would be the perfect solution.

Because I know for a fact that everybody would love it out here.

I'm not just saying that.

I think anybody who's experienced the week we've had over here,

I defy anybody to say they couldn't love this lifestyle.

The way everybody's been.

I feel like here, this week, we've just embraced the whole new Australian family and become one.

It's made it even harder, I think, now.

The Hughes have come to the end of their stay and Jenny's reflecting on the experience.

We've been on a bit of a magical mystery tour. We didn't know what to expect at all.

But do the sums add up?

A huge issue has been the financial aspect of moving to Australia.

We were surprised how much the property is here, and the difference in price.

I would say it is slightly dearer.

Dave is philosophical.

Buying outright isn't always the answer sometimes.

But having a mortgage isn't a problem.

It's one of them things that naturally goes with having a house, you have a mortgage.

Dave's discovered he could walk into a well-paid job in Darwin.

-It's been good to meet you.

-Nice meeting you, mate.

-Awesome, mate.

But Jenny's under no illusions that they'd face the same ups and down in life if they moved.

Whatever you do and wherever you go, life will stay the same in a lot of ways. The children will be educated,

you'll still have to work, mums have got do everything they normally do, but in different ways.

Their week in Darwin has taught them a lot and Jenny has

advice for others contemplating a similar life-changing move.

You've still got to work to afford the property in Australia.

Anybody who thinks they're going to come over here

and have a holiday mode permanently, right throughout the year,

you're kidding yourself because you still have to work, wherever you are in the world.

For Jenny, even if they could make the finances work,

it's the thought of leaving family that's pulling her apart.

It is a huge emotional strain on all of us to not see close family.

Especially family. We can make friends wherever.

But for us, deep down, it's always there. It's the pull of family.

And Dave is completely torn.

When you're here, you don't want to go. When you're back over there, it's hard to come back.

I just can't put into words at the moment

which way it will go.

I'm hoping we do come back to the Darwin area.

But that's only going to take time and a lot of thinking about which way we want to go.

But Dave must choose.

In fact, the whole Hughes family have to make up their minds about their future.

It's crunch time.

After a week putting the life they could have down under to the test, it's time for their final vote.

For us, family and friends, but particularly family, are a massive part of our life back in the UK.

But will remain to be so wherever we are, UK or Australia.

But here we feel that we've got so much potential

and so much to offer our own family by coming to Australia.

And, as we all know, technology is always improving and

we'll never be off the webcam, e-mail, computer and phone.

So, there's always opportunities to be in touch.

And deep in our hearts, we'll always be in contact, no matter what.

I can speak for all of us, 100% that the vote has to go with...

Australia!

From the outset, the Hughes family felt certain that a move to Australia was right for them.

Though it will be hard for Jenny to leave her family behind,

she and Dave know that life for them and the children would be better

if they were to move where they're wanted down under.

Join us again next time

and find out what happens when another British family tries out a new life

where they're wanted down under.

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd

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