Mercer Wanted Down Under

Welcome to Wanted Down Under,

the show that catapults a British family

to the other side of the world

to help them decide whether to stay in the UK or to move to Australia.

'The Mercer family from the Wirral want a fresh start down under.

'Tony Mercer lost his business and dreams of a new life in Australia.'

The UK's got fundamental problems that won't be fixed overnight.

'His wife Jane's had a tough time recently.'

It's been hard in a lot of ways.

Tony being really down regarding losing the business.

I've got upset thinking about me brother and sister. Sorry.

'A fresh start might be possible for the Mercers in Australia.'

This is what we need to be aiming for.

Sam, this is table three - Nick, Marley, Tom...

'But will it be that simple?'

I'm shocked what you get for your money.

Why are we doing this? We've got a beautiful home.

'And will Sam be happy?'

You're going to miss your friends, mate?

Don't get sad. It's OK. It's a sore point for him.

People think it's an easy decision. It's not an easy decision at all.

'Around 150 people a day migrate to Australia for a better life.

'Anyone who's under the age of 45 and on the skills shortage list

'could head down under at the head of the queue.

'But for all these families, how hard is the decision,

'and do they find what they're looking for?'

20 British families have been pushed to breaking point,

as they find out about real life down under.

After just one week they'll vote one way or the other.

Whether to stay in the UK or to move to Australia.

'Jane and Tony Mercer and their two children, Sam and Jess,

'are about to leave their life in the UK.

'Tony ran his property development company until the credit crunch hit and was declared bankrupt.

'Now, they're going to sample life in Australia.'

It probably made me a bit stronger.

But it made me a lot weaker before it made me stronger.

'He has struggled to find work in the UK

'and believes that a fresh start in Australia might be the answer.'

I'm not naive thinking it's all roses and rainbows over there.

The UK's got fundamental problems that won't be fixed overnight.

I don't want to be here while they're changing.

I'd rather go somewhere else.

'Tony's wife Jane disagrees.'

Initially,

I did feel that he was wanting to pick us up and run away.

It's part of the reason why I said,

"No, I'm not going. We will work through this.

"We'll build it back up again." We will.

It's not running away.

It is just trying to find a better life for the family. Absolutely.

'Tony is a property developer turned house-husband,

'something he struggled to adapt to.'

As soon as you do one room, the next room's a mess.

Then they want feeding. Then you've got the washing.

Oh, well. Can't complain. My wife's at work.

'Jane, now the sole wage earner, works as a senior hair stylist

'in a salon in the Wirral.

'In Australia she would have to support the whole family,

'a daunting prospect.'

I feel a lot of pressure about being the main visa applicant.

It's down to me to make sure when we get there that I get a job

and get the income coming in straight away.

'She has very high expectations of what Australia could offer.'

It's really in demand to have British hairdressers over there.

I think the salary's much better than here in the UK.

I'm hoping so, anyway!

'All seven-year-old Sam is worried about is whether he can fit his toys in his suitcase.'

I'm kind of excited because I've never been to Australia before.

And I'll kind of miss my friends.

Sam will take to it like a duck to water.

'Then there's four-year-old Jess.'

Jessica might... She might take a little bit of time, I think.

Do you think you'll be all right in Australia? Would you like to go?

Jessica keeps herself back and doesn't make friends so quickly.

But she's four years old and she'll adapt.

'After the loss of Tony's business life has been difficult

'but they have a close family who'll be hard to leave behind.'

Some people don't think it's the right decision -

friends and family.

I don't think they're prepared to tell us that but I can see the way they feel is slightly different.

As much as I really want to go and see what it's like,

I know I'm going to get homesick. I never thought I would.

Now we're getting nearer, I know it's going to be a problem.

We're very strong as a family, I'm hoping it's going to be enough.

There's going to be no-one else.

'We're sending them to Darwin, capital of the Northern Territory,

'and Australia's most remote city.

'Despite being surrounded by the outback, it has a cosmopolitan feel.

'Rebuilt in 1974 after a cyclone, it offers a very warm climate.

'Australia's fastest growing city,

'it has plenty of job and housing options.'

We found three different lifestyles for our family,

each offering a new way of life for them to try on their budget.

Which one will be the most suitable?

Let's see what the city has to offer the Mercers.

On their budget of £225,000, they might find property expensive.

Four-bedroom houses would be just out of their reach.

On the edge of the city, plots are more generous and there are plenty of hair salons.

So potential work for Jane could be close by.

Very different from their life in the UK.

What about the second option?

Darwin's coastal suburbs would offer a more idyllic life.

Though not as well serviced,

local malls would make everything convenient for Tony.

Jane would be able to find work in a local salon and avoid the 50-minute commute into the city.

Property is sought-after and expensive.

Four-bedroom family houses such as this one cost around £240,000,

which would stretch the Mercers' budget of £225,000.

That all looks very inviting, but what about the third option?

The outer suburbs will give the Mercers more space for their money.

Four-bedroom houses like this should be manageable on their budget.

The outback's on the doorstep

for Tony and the children to explore.

Jane would have to commute 30 minutes to work.

Three very different options. All of them life-changing.

So where did we send our family?

We decided on the city for the Mercers.

With its many hair salons for Jane close-by

and cheaper property in one of the suburbs,

it's the best option.

'We set Jane up with a trial job...'

-What is the salary for a senior stylist?

-I've got the pay scale...

-'..and properties to view.'

-It's like a static caravan.

'And an Australian family to meet.'

I've got a job for you!

-I've got a job! See ya.

-I've got the visa, baby!

'So, the Mercers are jetting off for a week to sample life down under.

'Will it live up to their expectations,

'or will the UK prove to be too much to leave behind?

'After a gruelling 10,000 miles

'they emerge on the other side of the world at four in the morning.

'So how are they feeling?'

It was OK. Tired.

-Sweaty.

-It was very boring.

He's been asking every five minutes, "Are we nearly there yet?"

'It's a gruelling journey, especially when you've got children,

'but they're almost there.

'The family are staying in a large apartment in Larrakeyah, ten minutes from the city centre.'

Wow. What a huge room.

Living room, kitchen and dining room all in one room. Perfect for us.

-JANE: I think this is mine.

-It's got an en suite as well.

Oh, wow! Look at this! Three beds in here!

Don't bounce on the beds!

'It looks like the kids are waking up, which is just as well as the day is beginning.'

I had this vision of new bungalows or two storeys,

I guess, like you see in the States.

First impressions, the sunlight's coming up,

it's not what I thought.

The palm trees, that's as you'd expect,

but the style of houses, the flats, wasn't what I was expecting.

I think the house is great as a base.

-As a holiday home?

-As a holiday home, yeah.

I think, as a home to live in for the family,

-I would expect newer, modern.

-This might be the norm.

-We just don't know.

-No.

'This apartment may not be what they're looking for but it's a great base to explore Darwin.

'Finding the right property is crucial. Let's hope they find something suitable tomorrow.'

'In the UK, Tony and Jane live in a three-bedroom house in the Wirral,

'which they bought in 2005 for £148,000.

'It's a great location and they spent time and money on renovations,

'so any house in Darwin will have a lot to live up to.

'We found three homes for sale.

'The first is in the suburb of Karama, a 20-minute commute from the city.

'This three-bedroom, one bathroom house in on the market for:

'Depending on what they sell their house for,

'they should be able to afford it.

'The only trouble is, it's on a main road.'

JANE UNSURE: OK...

From the '60s!

Quite small, isn't it?

It's just decor, nothing that couldn't be...

couldn't be changed.

It reminds me of a caravan.

-It's like a static caravan.

-It is, isn't it?

Is it me, or is it really dark?

-Is it the light?

-The whole building seems really dark.

-HOLLOW KNOCKS

-Is that timber-framed construction?

-The wall's about that thick.

-Ah...

'Their first impressions aren't great.

'Tony's experience in property development would be needed

'to make this house suitable.

'But is it enough?'

There's nothing stopping this wall coming out and door going here.

One room with a bath and a shower, more conventional as we know it.

I can't get over how caravan-y it feels.

Everything's four-inch stud walls. There's no insulation.

-Again, it's so dark.

-It is dark, isn't it?

If this was all we could afford, you could make it nice, couldn't you?

-Absolutely.

-I'm looking at the outside, where we want to be.

Yeah, it's only decor but it's only three bedrooms.

Which, I know is all we need,

but for the size of that lounge, if people were going to stay,

-where would they stay?

-Is this all you get for your money?

'The inside hasn't impressed and this is one of the best-value areas.

'The outside might make up for it.'

-TRAFFIC HUMS

-It's much better, isn't it?

Let's have a look at the pool.

-It's a really nice size pool.

-For us, that would be perfect.

-What spoils this...

-It's that road. TRAFFIC HUMS

Do you learn to live with that and not hear it?

It's intrusive but it's not offensive. You could live with it.

'The traffic may be noisy, but the nearby road may make this property more affordable.'

I'm a bit disappointed in the house, the inside.

It looks a little bit run-down, the area.

-Right next to a main road.

-The road doesn't bother me now.

The outside space makes it a five-and-a-half instead of a four.

You could live here but it would just be transitional accommodation

for 12, 18 months then move on.

'If this isn't up to scratch, maybe the next house is better suited.

'Property two is a bit further out in the suburb of Gunn.

'This three-bedroom, two-bathroom house costs around:

'So it would be a stretch, especially with just Jane working.

'But the area is great for families and there's a play park next door.'

This looks a lot better, doesn't it?

JANE: Wow!

This is better! Oh, yes!

It isn't that much bigger, just laid out different.

-It's one level so it feels bigger, doesn't it?

-I like the tiled floor.

The rooms are probably the same size but it's light.

I think it's smaller,

but it's got the built-in wardrobes, which is a bonus.

Jessica, stop touching.

This is nice. It's got an en suite as well.

-It's much nicer.

-I like the sliding doors.

-Jane?

-Nice, yeah. It is nice. And the double shower.

-Two sinks. Two showers.

-One toilet.

That's bedroom two. Where's the third bedroom?

-So this is the third bedroom.

-It's being a study.

It feels like it's been squeezed in as a third bedroom.

It should be listed as a two-bedroom with study.

'It was looking so good but, with a family, space might be an issue.'

When you come in you think, "Fantastic! It's new!"

When you walk round it a few times, it's actually very small

-for what you're paying.

-Yeah.

The kitchen is probably half the size of what I've got at home.

So far, I'm shocked at what you get for your money in Australia.

-The value for money is not what people make out.

-No.

It's a lot more expensive than you think.

-Shall we see what you get outside?

-Yeah.

-Big push!

-Well done.

You feel the heat, can't you, coming out?

This is lovely.

Wow! Look at the waterfall!

-Much smaller garden and back area than the last.

-Yeah, much smaller.

I'm not bothered about having big spaces to maintain.

'This house seems more suitable but what do they make of it all?'

-This is a great starting point.

-But it's not starting money.

-No, I suppose not.

-You're talking about an acceptable standard.

I totally agree with you, but you're not talking starting money.

It's not as cheap as everyone's making it out to be.

To come to Australia, go through the moving,

leaving the family and friends and work, leaving everything,

I don't want to take a backwards step.

'So far, things aren't looking good.

'It seems as if Tony might be changing his mind.

'But what about the final property?

'It's close by in the outer suburb of Durack.

'This four-bedroom, two-bathroom home has stunning views.

'But at around £425,000, it's way out of their price range.

'If Tony went back to work and they got a good price for their UK house,

'they might manage it.'

-This is a nice entrance, isn't it?

-It's a bit more like it.

Look at this, guys!

Very stylish. Very modern.

Good size room.

Just from the front room I'll have it! We'll take it!

I think it's your bedroom.

-I think you're right. Wow.

-Beautiful bed and flowers.

It is beautiful, there's no denying it. It's perfect!

'So far, so good, although Jane has reservations.'

-What do you reckon to that view?

-I could get used to it.

-Do you think there are any crocs in the lake?

-No crocodiles in there.

-Sure? Do you want to test the water?

-No.

-I don't think so!

-It's lot of work keeping the floor that shiny.

-That's your job!

'I don't know about that, Tony!

'This may be out of their price range but Jane has a solution.'

-You could build us something like this.

-One day, yeah.

-Of course I could.

-You could build those?

-Not the lake but this house.

This would be your room, Sam.

Everything comes with built-in wardrobes.

The space is space you've got rather than having to put wardrobes in.

-It all blends in nicely.

-It's really subtle.

'Outside, there's a toy for Tony.'

-Built-in barbecue.

-A barbie and a half.

Yeah, not like our little one in our garden.

Imagine cleaning the glass.

-Sticky fingerprints everywhere.

-Yeah.

You couldn't put a washing line up anywhere!

-You just wouldn't want to spoil the view.

-Lower the tone.

'It's an impressive house and Tony's getting a little bit swept away.'

I see myself living here, playing golf over there,

Jane going off to work, me looking after the kids.

Only joking. No, I can see myself living here.

It's what we need to be aiming for, not only for quality of life,

but something that motivates you, a target you want to achieve.

-Something like this will motivate me. I'm sure it'll motivate Jane as well.

-Absolutely.

Move this house over to the UK.

So we can live here and we can see our friends again.

'Oh, dear. The house may have impressed Tony and Jane, but Sam's starting to miss his friends.

'That's three properties.

'The first house in Karama cost £225,000.

-'But it didn't go down well.'

-Like a static caravan.

'Tony didn't think much of the neighbourhood.'

-What spoils this...

-It's that road.

'The second was more expensive at £260,000 and seemed to be suitable, but space would be a problem.'

-It's actually very small.

-'And too pricey.'

Value for money, it's not what people make out.

'The third property was better. Tony and Jane wanted to move in.'

I'll have it!

'However, at £425,000 it's beyond their budget for now,

'and they'd both have to work to afford it, unless Tony built one.'

I could build this house.

'So do they prefer property in the UK or here in Australia?'

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

Australia.

Australia.

UK.

My decision is based purely on value for money.

'Despite that, they were all swept away by the last property.

'The first two were unsuitable and brought Tony back down to Earth.

'Later, the Mercers find out how much their UK house is worth.'

We really have put our heart and soul into the house.

-It's quite sad, cos you just want it to be so much more.

-Yeah.

'And the atmosphere gets tense.'

This is why, at home, I do all this. Because Jane's useless.

'But for a potential move to become reality, Jane needs a good salary.'

Property in Darwin can be expensive.

To afford a mortgage, it's down to Jane to find work.

Hi, Jane. I'm Colette, one of the owners of Stone Island hairdressers.

We're looking forward to meeting you.

We've been here for 11 years. We're quite a large salon.

We're really busy so when you come to Darwin, please come and see us.

'In the Wirral, Jane works as a hairdresser.

'Since Tony's bankruptcy, she's been the sole wage earner.

'It's vital that any potential salary can support the family.

'Will it live up to her expectations?'

I've heard, regarding the salary,

that it's pretty much double, compared to the UK.

And I believe that the hours aren't as long.

The salon I work in is open seven days a week.

Some days are ten-hour shifts, especially the days that I teach.

It can get quite tiring. I've heard that the hours are very different.

'Jane's meeting owners Colette and Fiona.'

You must be Jane. I'm Colette. Nice to meet you.

-This is my business partner, Fiona.

-Hi, how are you?

Come through this way.

We have four basins.

They're lovely massage basins - Shiatsu massage and normal massage.

The basins move up and down.

This is Kelly. Kelly, can I introduce you to Jane?

Jane, this is Kelly.

'After a quick look around, it's time for a test of Jane's skills.

'Will she be able to wow them with her cutting?

'The family's future hangs on how Jane wields the scissors.

'This could be the most important styling she's ever done!

'Since Jane has worked full time,

'Tony's had to get used to being a house husband.

'Today, he's taking the kids to a play park.

'Darwin has a lot of these, which the children should enjoy, but Tony has a lot on his mind.'

I'm worried about how they'll settle in.

It plays on my mind constantly.

I've had the guilt trip of losing the business and taking bankruptcy.

You almost feel a failure.

When we come here, we'll be taking a backwards step in material things.

I've even had the emotional side. Have I been a bad dad?

Have I been a bad husband? We shouldn't be in this position.

People think it's an easy decision when they see the beautiful surroundings, but it's not easy.

'And it's not just him. He's noticed a change in Sam.'

I'm a bit concerned about Sam.

I think Sam's going to be the one that makes it hard for us to move.

He's seven and he'll do as he's told, but it's affecting him a lot.

That in turn's affected me when I didn't think it would do.

That's a bad feeling for us, really.

He's really missing his friends.

My cousins,

aunties, nans, uncles,

granddads and all the other friends and families.

Ben said he can only visit me five years at a time.

Because of the money. He'd have to save up the money.

I won't see them for a long time and I'll forget about them.

'Ah, Sam. A huge decision like this is never easy.

'How has Jane got on with her crucial haircut?

'It's judgment time.'

OK, so we're all finished?

-Yeah.

-Beautiful.

-You've got a little bit of styling product already in there?

-Not yet.

-Technically, it's a beautiful haircut.

-Thank you.

-So that's great.

Is that OK for you? Yeah. Lovely.

No doubt we'll see you again...

'Jane seems to have impressed them, but what about the details?

'At home, she can earn £20 an hour. How much can she get here?'

-What is the salary for a senior stylist?

-I've got the pay scale.

You can take it home with you.

Every one of our senior stylists are on 22 up to 26.10 an hour,

with penalty rates when they work late, so they get time and a half.

I think we're relatively on a par with other states in Australia.

'Oh, dear. That works out at £11 an hour at the current rate.

'Jane was expecting double pay, not half. What does she make of it?'

I really do think I've sort of been led up the garden path,

regarding the salary.

I was quite shocked when she showed me the figures.

I didn't want to gasp, but I was thinking, "Oh, my goodness!

"That is just so not what I thought."

If I was the main breadwinner,

then I would be at work 24/7 with that salary expectation.

It's very low.

'There's a job waiting, but the pay's not what she'd hoped for.

'So how will she vote?'

Based on what I've seen, working in Darwin, my vote goes to...

..the UK.

'For the salary to fall so low below expectations,

'it's a blow to the family's plans.

'And they've had some big set-backs recently.'

Tony being really down, regarding losing the business.

Me having to leave the kids and go to work.

'And how will they react when they see messages from family?'

It's quite emotional for me. I'm trying to be very strong, but...

'Since losing his business, Tony has struggled to find work and hopes that a move will be a fresh start.'

The UK's got fundamental problems that won't be fixed overnight.

'Jane was not keen to go and it's taken persuading from Tony to get her this far.'

No, I'm not going. We'll work through this, we'll build it all back up again.

'Although Tony felt that Australian properties were too expensive,

'Jane liked them.

'Her notion that hairdressers get paid twice as much proved false

'and, despite impressing her potential employer, she was shaken.'

I was shocked when she showed me the figures.

'To make things harder, Sam, who was initially keen on a move,

'has started to miss his friends.'

I won't see them for a long time and I'll forget about them.

As the main breadwinner, Jane's low salary in Australia

means that it's important to get a good price for the house in the UK.

'Tony and Jane bought their three-bedroom house in the Wirral in 2005 for £148,000.

'They've spent around £40,000 on renovations.

'They think it's now worth £200,000 and every penny will count,

'as houses in Australia are proving more expensive than they thought.

'We sent two estate agents to give it a proper valuation.

'It's time for Tony and Jane to see what they had to say.'

Good size family lounge. Nice big bay window.

Lets plenty of light in.

Finished nicely. Nice room, this one.

Strange seeing someone in your house when you're not there.

Good size kitchen-breakfast room.

'Fitted really well with integrated oven.'

The French doors onto the garden are a nice feature.

The trees in the park are lovely. It gets the sun at this time of day.

This is a very family-friendly, family-orientated garden,

which is a great selling point.

A lovely contemporary bathroom suite.

White's always more popular than any other colour.

Fitted recently. An excellent selling point.

'There's our room!'

Good size master bedroom with fitted mirrored wardrobes.

And bay window. And a huge king size bed.

-Super-king.

-Super-king! Get it right!

Sam's toys everywhere, eh?

'It's a really well presented, three-bedroom semi'

in a popular residential location.

The large sunny garden's a big positive. A good selling point.

To achieve a quick sale, we'd price the property

at around £180,000.

-Ooh.

-Eugh.

A lovely three-bedroom semi, just the kind people are looking for.

As long as the price is just under £200,000 I would expect a lot of interest.

In the current market they may have to take an offer

more around:

'That's less than they thought, by about £10,000.'

-It's dropped a lot, hasn't it?

-Yeah. Quite a shame.

They're saying you can buy a house with that amount of space,

finished to that standard for £180,000 for a quick sale.

Over here, to buy something that needs loads of work, um...

and not particularly to your taste, or what your dream is,

-and it's still maybe another 50, 60 grand above that price.

-Yeah.

When we looked at property my vote was UK

because I think you do get more for your money in the UK.

It's clear, by watching that.

We really have put our heart and soul into the house.

-It's quite sad, really. You just want it to be so much more.

-Yeah.

You do think, why are we doing this?

We've got a beautiful home and our family around us.

Coming out here,

we might not be able to have as nice a home, and no family around us.

We'll be living in a tin hut dirt box, some of the things we've seen!

It doesn't sit right.

-I've got a lovely house there and we're looking at dirt boxes made out of tin here.

-Corrugated iron.

It's a bit of a head scratcher.

-I can't quite get my head around what I'm doing here.

-It IS a dream.

Yeah, is it a dream? I'm not quite sure at the moment.

The value of their house has come as a shock to Tony and Jane.

They have to work out how much it costs to live in Darwin

to see if they can afford to make the move.

'We've provided the Mercers with details of everyday costs,

'but will the numbers add up?'

Right... Australian costs of living.

The tax is quite high, isn't it? 30%.

-Stamp duty's 5%.

-That's big, isn't it?

That's a hell of a lot.

Electricity bills. Gee whiz.

To have a pool costs money. It's not just water in a hole.

-So, £500 a month...

-On electricity.

-On electricity alone.

You're basically 40% more for your food.

Are we working it out weekly? It's 2,000 there.

-Say, £200.

-Read it properly, love.

Right, you're not reading this properly.

-These are our energy bills in Australia.

-"Home electricity".

So our energy bill a month is £254.

Our energy bill here is £250.

-You do it.

-LAUGHING: No.

This is why, at home, I do all this.

Because Jane's useless at it. I do it.

'After some serious number crunching and a little loss of temper,

'can they afford the move to Australia?

Based on the cost of living and what we've just gone through,

our vote goes to...

BOTH: Australia.

We have skills. I know what I'm capable of when the opportunities are there.

I know that if we're making it work in the UK when things are tough,

here, where there's far more opportunities for us,

-I definitely vote Australia cos I know we can do it.

-So do I.

Darwin can be expensive and Tony would need to get a job,

but what would life be like?

'On the other side of the world, there's no getting away from school.

'Tony and Jane have been concerned about how the children would settle,

'so they've arranged for Sam to spend the day at Jingili school.'

Welcome to Jingili primary school. I'm Jodie, the principle.

-I'm Tony.

-I'm Jane.

-Good morning.

-This is Sam.

-Good morning, Sam.

-And Jessica.

Good morning, Jessica.

This is Mr Dixon, your teacher.

Sam, would you like to come in? I'll introduce you to everyone.

Have a nice time! Bye!

'In a survey, Australian schools were in the top ten in the world,

'higher than the UK.

'They're managed according to the state, and so can vary greatly.

'Sam seems to be settling in, though.'

It'll probably float. It will float.

'While Sam finds out what school is like,

'Tony and Jane are keen to see what the nursery would be like for Jess.'

Come and have a look what we're doing.

Natalia's drawing a picture.

JANE: 'The move, we are worried about Jess.'

But now it's switching and I don't know whether I should start worrying about Sam.

'Usually, he's so laid back and he'll go with the flow.

'He seems to be constantly saying'

he wants to see his cousin, his friends.

So it's a big decision.

'He's feeling quite anxious about the whole thing.

'If I'm not happy for the children'

to be moved out to Australia, it won't happen.

'It seems a lot rests on how the children take to life in Australia.'

-Did you enjoy it?

-Yeah.

Good boy. Say thank you, please.

Sam, it was lovely to meet you.

Thank you very much indeed.

-Thank you.

-Bye bye, now. Bye.

'After a morning at school, the Mercers head off for a swim.

'Darwin's beaches may look inviting

'but the family goes to a man-made lagoon, closed off from the sea.

'It's where locals swim, protected from unpleasant surprises

'that lurk just off the beach, where you could get a nasty sting.

'Darwin has some of the most beautiful beaches in Australia,

'bordered by the warm turquoise waters of the Timor Sea.

'With a stunning coastline minutes from the city, beaches are empty.

'Saltwater crocodiles are prevalent in coastal waters,

'but with crocodile monitoring and numerous croc traps,

'bathers can be relatively sure the dangerous creatures aren't around.

'Tony Snelling, CEO of the Northern Territories Surf Lifesaving Team is here to tell us more.'

We advise people not to swim on the beach eight months of the year.

From the beginning of October to the end of May, don't go in the water.

Here in the tropical north we have a particularly dangerous jellyfish,

a Chironex fleckeri, or locally known as the box jellyfish.

'The box jellyfish is feared.'

If you are stung by a box jellyfish, you immediately have extreme pain

and the toxins can have an effect on your cardiovascular system.

The box jellyfish has a transparent bell to it,

and the tentacles are similarly transparent.

They come out from tidal creeks

and feed in shallow beach areas and reef areas.

'Even in the dry season,

'it's recommended that people only use beaches that have been checked.

'It's not just swimmers who are in danger.'

Paddling is dangerous during the wet season, when many stings occur.

People aren't prepared for that.

They associate box jellyfish stings with swimming,

but many occur by people paddling.

'Luckily, there are times when the water is safer.'

Nothing's ever completely safe

and 100% risk-free,

but box jellyfish are not prevalent during the dry season.

It's rare for somebody to be stung,

particularly in June, July, August and September.

So it's relatively safe.

It is a real shock, something I hadn't researched about Darwin.

You automatically think beautiful beaches, you can swim and surf.

'There's a safe lagoon for the family.

'Jane reflects on how hard life's been since the bankruptcy.'

Tony's been at home trying to become the house husband,

struggled.

LAUGHING: But he's getting there.

It's been difficult for me, breaking away from the children,

especially Jessica, she's so clingy.

Doesn't really want to do much without me.

It's been hard for Tony because he was always at work and now she cries continuously for me.

So it's been hard in a lot of ways.

Tony being really down, regarding losing the business,

me having to leave the kids and go to work,

then come home and pick Tony up for being down.

And then, still being a mum.

It's been a really hard 12 months for us all.

Based on the lifestyle that we've seen here today, our vote goes to...

'It's been a long day, but what do they make of the lifestyle?'

-JANE AND TONY: Australia.

-UK.

UK?

OK.

Really?

How come you voted for UK, Sam?

-Because I'm missing my friends.

-You're gonna miss your friends?

Don't get sad. It's OK. It's obviously a sore point for him.

You'll make friends here, but OK, we'll see.

We'll make the decision as a family, so you'll be fine.

It seems Sam is really missing his mates back home.

If they emigrate, they'll all need to make friends.

The Mercers are up early to meet a local family

at one of Darwin's many street markets.

-Hello, good morning.

-Eddie.

Hello. How are you?

Here's my wife, Julie.

My daughters, Courtney and Adrienne.

-This is Sam.

-G'day, Sam.

This is Jessie. Hello, Jess. >

Princess, come on. Say hello.

Look at the size of these watermelons, Jess!

-What's that?

-I don't know.

Eugh!

'After a quick tour round the market they head to a park,

'and Tony is eager to find out more about Darwin.'

-It's absolutely beautiful.

-Yes, it is.

-There's plenty of work?

-EDDIE: For anyone with a trade.

There's plenty of work up here. Down south might be different.

If you want to work, there's always work.

Cos in the UK it's...

But as much as people are getting laid off in the UK,

you could still get a job, if you're prepared to work. >

Y-yeah. That's fair comment, but you're probably flipping burgers.

If you need to feed your family, there's work out there.

< Employers have a bit more scope of people to employ.

But there's work for trade people who've got skills?

There's a gas plant starting soon.

We want to do some work on our house

and everyone you speak to says the builders have a huge backlog,

till you can get someone in.

-You can't ring up and say...

-I want a bathroom fitted next week?

-Even three months' time.

-Really?

-Yeah.

That's what I was doing in the UK, remodelling,

new-builds, cosmetic internal work.

If you're out here by next dry season I've got a job for you!

ALL LAUGH

I'm not going home, I'm just going to stay here.

-I've got a job. See ya!

-I've got the visa, baby!

-We'll try and catch up with you.

-Nice to have met you. Thank you.

When you move back, let us know and I'll sort that job out.

Thanks again. Bye.

'Tony may have landed a potential job but Jane knows him too well.'

Tony can get carried away, really. Say, "This job!" and "That job!"

I am the feet-on-the-ground person

saying, "Have you thought this through?"

Most of the time he has and everything works out really well.

Sometimes I do have to rein him in a bit.

Tony may be excited about the prospect of returning to work

but how will they feel about the move when they've seen messages from friends and family back home?

Hi!

Hello.

-Hi, Jane. Hi, Tony.

-Hello, Sam. Hello, Jess.

-Hi, everybody.

-Hello, sprog!

Hi, Tony, Sam and Jessie.

I couldn't ask for a better brother. He listens.

I can go to him with anything.

And he'd fix it. He'd fix it. He's a fixer.

Super-intelligent.

If you knew what he'd achieved in his life you'd think, "Wow!"

-She's a good daughter.

-A nice girl.

Loyal. And...

Supportive. They're very good kids.

-Lovely kids.

-Nice natured.

I love them. I love those kids so much.

She's a Daddy's girl. I think she's absolutely beautiful.

Sam is a very good friend.

Sometimes very clever.

-Sam's very funny. We might forget about Sam.

-Yeah.

NEW SPEAKER: I'll miss her.

I'll miss Tony because he's loads of fun to be around.

I'll miss the kids. My children play with them all the time.

I'll miss her just being there, if I needed her.

I think the contact, giving them a hug and...

Knowing that I don't have a brother round the corner.

Just him turning up and ringing the bell.

I don't think a day goes by that I don't speak to her.

I'll just miss her company, really.

They used to live in London.

She moved back up here to be near her family.

Australia's a lot further away than London so I think it'll be tough.

I think I'm still in a bit of denial.

Cos I think, "They won't go."

They're going to start a new life and they will move on.

I worry about that...

We won't have that closeness.

It's our only grandchildren.

The only grandchildren we know about!

I'm going to miss them.

Miss not having him around, really.

Don't forget your auntie Jenny.

I don't care how big you are, Jess, I'll always give you the aeroplane.

Sam, I'll twiddle you round even when you're grown.

Good luck. Love you.

We'll miss you very much, especially Sam and Jess.

I love you very much, too. Bye.

Thinking about you. I'll be here for you, wherever you are in the world.

Whatever decision you make, we're with you all the way.

All I can say is I love you loads and I'll see you soon.

If it didn't work, I think it would be hard to come back,

to admit that it didn't work, but obviously, I hope that it would.

It's quite emotional. I'm trying to be very strong but...

Brings it home a bit, that.

It's very powerful when you see your family upset.

We've only been away a week. It puts it in perspective.

They're so supportive when I've been down and really low.

I shall miss their support.

If you went anything on that, you wouldn't go. You just wouldn't.

Nothing's clear cut any more, is it?

It's been mixed in with a bit of grey. I don't know what to say.

Other than I'm not sure. I'm just not sure.

The thought of leaving loved ones hasn't been easy for the family.

The Mercers have a big decision ahead of them.

'It's the end of a long week in Darwin for the family.

-'They haven't found it easy.'

-It's like a static caravan.

Wow!

-This is better!

-I want this!

It's from one extreme to the other within five minutes of each other,

ten times a day.

So it's.... It's really hard to cope with.

'Despite getting carried away with the third property,

'Tony was stunned by the prices.'

This is living the dream.

I'm shocked on what you get for your money in Australia.

A lot of texture through...

'The Mercers' dream was dealt a big blow

'when Jane's idea of an increased salary proved to be wrong.'

I was quite shocked when she showed me the figures.

I didn't want to gasp, but I was thinking, "Oh, my goodness!"

'They enjoyed the lifestyle and made the most of meeting the locals.'

If you're out here by next dry season, I've got a job for you.

'But Sam got more homesick as the week went on, a constant worry for Tony and Jane.'

He's really missing his friends.

Usually, he's so laid back.

'It was Tony's idea to move to Australia after losing his business.

'Having worked so hard to persuade Jane, is he having second thoughts?'

It's going to be tough.

When you're here and feel the scale of it, there's no denying it.

Knowing that I'd not see my brother and sister is... It's sad.

It upsets me a bit, you know?

I've got a bit upset. Sorry, I've got...

Got a bit upset thinking about me brother and sister, sorry.

SIGHS

It's not like me, that. Dear me.

I'll miss my family a lot, you know? I love them all.

I'll miss them dearly but I've got to do what's best for my family.

'It's crunch time.

'Will they choose to stay in the UK, or start a new life down under?

Based on everything that Darwin has to offer,

our final vote goes to...

UK

TONY AND JANE: Australia.

We won't see our friends for a long while, or family.

So that's why I'm choosing the UK.

I understand.

I think Australia's definitely the place for us.

I think so.

How about this, right? I get you a laptop with a webcam?

You can speak to all your friends on the internet

and you can talk to them on a video.

-Would you like that?

-Yeah.

Come here.

'Sam will really miss his friends in the UK but time is a great healer.

'Tony and Jane think that Australia holds a better future for the whole family.

'It's still going to take a lot to make it work.'

Join us next time when we find out what happens

when another British family decide whether they're wanted down under.

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd