Wallace Family Wanted Down Under

For most families, moving to the other side of the world

is a once-in-a-lifetime decision,

but what if you've done it before only for things to end in disaster?

Would you be willing to risk everything

and make the move all over again?

Last time the Wallaces tried to emigrate,

it almost destroyed the family.

'We came back, we were arguing a lot'

and, um, I decided to divorce Ben.

Making a new start down under will mean facing some tough memories.

I'm just hoping that things ARE going to be different.

Ben hopefully has grown up a little bit more.

I want to be by the beach and I want to go surfing when I can basically.

Not when I'm allowed to.

With so much at stake, will it be the biggest gamble of their lives?

-I don't want anything to go wrong this time.

-Come on.

Australia's sunny climate and miles of beautiful coastline

have long been a draw for Brits looking for a new start abroad.

For most families, emigrating is a once-in-a-lifetime event,

but sometimes, the promise of a better life is so strong

that it can tempt you to risk everything for another bite of the cherry.

The Wallaces hope Australia will give them

the family life they dream of.

Over the next week, they'll experience

the reality of living down under before they make their final choice,

whether to stay in the UK or to make the move for good.

Their journey begins with the long haul across three continents,

covering 10,000 miles, before arriving in Sydney.

Despite the long trip,

the family are feeling positive about what's to come.

Flight was lovely.

We're here now, we're just waiting to see what happens

and we've been looking forward to it.

Just see what Sydney has to offer,

and hopefully the weather will stay dry!

They've arrived in the Australian winter, but they'll be hoping

it's an improvement on the weather at home.

Back in the UK, the Wallaces live in Newport, in South Wales.

Amanda and Ben recently celebrated their marriage, for the second time.

'Today means the world to me.'

I'm married to Ben again and we're a proper family again.

It's a fresh start basically.

Everything's gone now that's in the past.

Just look to the future instead.

Life for the Wallaces hasn't always been this rosy.

In 2005, they emigrated to New Zealand with their daughters, Aimee and Libby,

in search of a better family life.

However, down under didn't live up to their expectations.

Obviously when we emigrated to New Zealand,

the climate was similar to the UK,

it wasn't as hot as I expected it to be, it was fairly chilly,

we had landslides and floods while we were there.

And their ideas of life in New Zealand

-seemed to be at odds with each other.

-I went to work...

I didn't.

..and Ben decided it was a surfing holiday!

No, I didn't. I struggled to get work.

-You did not!

-I did!

There was loads of work. You just preferred to do other things.

I beg to differ on that.

They might not agree how it all happened, but in 2005,

after just a few months, the Wallaces returned to the UK

where matters got even worse.

So we came back, tried to give it another go.

We were arguing a lot

and I decided to divorce Ben.

After all their ups and downs, the Wallaces are back together as a family

and Ben and Amanda's thoughts have once again turned to moving down under.

Come on, girls! Beach!

-What we thought we were coming back to...

-We didn't come back to.

Newport's not changed for the better, it's got worse.

And the economic climate's got worse.

And they've had their fill of the great British weather.

I'm fed up of cold, miserable weather.

It's just not very nice.

They're also hoping Australia could give Aimee and Libby a brighter future.

All we want to do is give the best we can for them basically,

and if you can't do that for your children, there's nothing you can do.

We'd do anything for them.

And the Aussie surf is a big pull for Ben and the girls.

Because of the warmth and temperature of the water

in Australia, then I'll be able to go and surf a lot more.

I want to be by the beach and I want to go surfing when I can basically.

Not when...

I'm allowed to.

However this time, they're stealing realistic about what life might be like.

We're not expecting the grass to be greener.

We ARE expecting to work hard over there

and we're not expecting to have a big, huge house,

cos we haven't got a huge house here.

With so much riding on the week, the Wallaces' experience in the past

could have a big impact on their future.

Will we work out together?

Will we end up divorcing again?

You never know. You can't foresee what the future holds.

You've got to look at the now

and at the moment, that is the way forward.

You know, who knows what's round the corner?

So will the past help them make the right choices this time around?

Or could they be heading for stormy waters all over again?

Home for the week is Sydney, Australia's largest and most famous city.

With its stunning scenery and fast pace of life,

it's a magnet for immigrants from all around the world,

but can it deliver the Wallaces the new start they hope for?

They're spending the week in the suburb of Manly,

seven miles' drive north-east of Sydney.

Ben and Amanda have visited Australia before,

but under very different circumstances.

I've been out here before, I went to Melbourne with the girls

and my friend Donna,

and Ben came out here soon after in the November time,

after we split up, with another lady, shall we say.

So it was really traumatic for me to be coming here,

although it's where Ben wants to be,

just because you always wonder what he was doing here

and where he went and that sort of thing.

It wasn't part of my life at the time.

It's an emotional issue but one that Ben is confident they can handle.

I try to support her through it as best I can,

but hopefully we'll get through all that,

like we've got through the last two years

and we'll build a life together in Australia.

And their search for a new future starts at this two-bedroom cottage.

It should give them a good taste of what Australian living can offer.

-And the sun's out.

-Oh, this is lovely!

I love...just the noises out in the garden!

Yeah, and the smells.

-It's lovely, isn't it?

-Yeah.

Nice, blue sky as well!

-They'll be coming here for a barbecue, won't they!

-Mmm.

It's really nice. Really like it.

I doubt we'll be able to afford anything like this, though!

Can I go to sleep now?

I'm just looking forward to it.

Just see it as a new start.

Maybe some better opportunities. I don't know until...

I'll take each day as it comes and then see what happens basically.

You don't have anxieties, do you?

I tend not to get anxious or worry about things, really.

-I take it all in my stride and just get on with it.

-Life the easy way!

I do everything one day...

Hence no haircut or a shave.

We've got to find a barber as well!

She's gone.

Finding a warm bed and a barber might be top of the list right now,

but the family know there's some huge decisions ahead of them.

The key to the Wallaces making the move is finding the right house in the right location,

but living in one of the most expensive cities in the world won't come cheap,

so could they be facing a strain on their wallets?

Back in the UK, the Wallaces live in Amanda's three-bedroom house

in Newport in South Wales.

Ben also has a two-bedroom house that he rents out.

For the move to work, finding the right home in Australia would be a big step forward.

We don't want a place with a swimming pool.

I'd rather a small house close to the beach.

Obviously we'll have to have three bedrooms.

I would say four, for people visiting.

OK, ideally four bedrooms, but three would suffice

as long as we've all... The girls have got their own bedrooms.

They'll finance the move by selling both properties, if they can agree on what they want,

which could give them a total budget of £270,000.

Today, we're going to give them a taste of the Sydney property market.

We'll show them three options based upon what they want from their ideal home,

what they can afford, and the real price of property down under.

After seeing first-hand what's on offer,

we'll reveal to the family just how much each house costs.

Having visited before,

Amanda and Ben have some idea about Aussie houses,

but prices and exchange rates have changed a great deal in recent years

so could they be in for a few surprises?

The first property is in Brookvale,

just a few minutes' drive north of Manly

and close to surfing beaches.

To try and keep costs down, it's a new two-bedroom apartment,

but will it get things off to a good start?

Quite secluded.

Oh, this is nice.

Nice size kitchen.

It's not too bad.

But this would be your living room and dining room.

Bigger than I thought it would be.

Do you want to look at the bedrooms?

Whose bedroom is this?

Yours!

Nice walk-in wardrobes. All for me.

-So this would be...

-Second bedroom.

-It's two bedrooms.

-It's not ideal.

It is nice, but...

might even have to share a double bed.

-At a push.

-Mmm.

What do you think?

-I like it, but it's a bit small.

-Yes.

To be sharing with your sister.

It's looking as if this apartment is simply too small for their needs.

Can the outside change their minds?

First impressions? This looks really good, yeah.

Seeing as Ben doesn't have to do any DIY at all.

Maybe a bit of painting.

Not even painting. Nothing wrong with magnolia!

So with a very quick tour over, the girls hang out on the terrace,

while Amanda and Ben find out the price.

How will a cheaper option fit with their £270,000 budget?

What do you think? Do you think it's something we can afford?

I wouldn't hazard a guess on a two-bedroom apartment. We've not looked at any.

-Shall we have a look?

-Go on then.

Here goes.

Oh!

£267,000.

Judging by those gasps, it looks as if they're encouraged

by the price, if not by the space on offer.

-If we could find a three-bedroom, we might be able to afford.

-Yeah.

So really, really impressed.

-I'm quite shocked.

-Yeah!

The second stop is another new apartment.

Set further inland in the Frenchs Forest area,

it should show the Wallaces what they can get

IF they're willing to live further from the beach.

Could this modern Aussie pad be right for them?

Wow! I like that.

That's different, isn't it?

Mmm. Very modern.

-I like the colours.

-I like the floor.

-The island.

-Very nice.

-That's where your fridge-freezer goes.

-Is that a dishwasher?

Oh, yeah, ooh!

I mean, it's more modern than we've ever had before,

but it's really nice.

We've never had modern like this.

-It's your taste, is it?

-You like it, Ames?

-Yes.

So Aimee approves, but will just two bedrooms keep everyone else happy?

-This is nice.

-It's quite small.

You could probably get two singles in here.

But it's not a very big space for them.

Now this is lovely.

It is nice, but it is just two bedrooms.

If we didn't have children, this would be ideal!

But we've got to think of you as well, haven't we?

Yeah!

Once again, things are looking a little cramped,

but there is plenty of room out on the terrace.

That's a nice view.

-This is lovely.

-Wow. This is a big balcony.

This would definitely suit me.

There is no garden again, but you don't have to mow lawns if there's no garden.

Despite the size, this apartment looks the part,

but will it be more or less affordable than the first?

I think this is going to be more expensive than the last one.

-Yeah?

-It's slightly bigger.

-A lot bigger.

-It's further out.

It is further from the beach.

-But the finish is...

-A lot nicer.

..a better quality.

-Still two bedrooms, though.

-And it's still only two bedrooms.

-Ready?

-We'll see.

-Ooh!

-Dear me.

386,000.

We might have to think about moving away further from the beach,

even though this is further from the last one,

it might have to be that that's what we compromise on.

We can't afford...

If we wanted to come to Australia, then we have to compromise more

than perhaps we thought we would have.

-YOU'LL have to compromise.

-I'LL have to compromise.

And go surfing less!

-As long as I'm with you and the girls...

-Ah!

..anywhere will be fine.

Ah, that's very noble of Ben.

But could he really give up his dream of a surfer lifestyle?

With the second property well over budget,

everything rests on the Wallaces' final stop.

Getting the right location and size is clearly going to be tough in Sydney

and one option may be an Aussie doer upper.

So, we're ending the search near the beach, in Manly North.

The third property is a traditional weatherboard house

and should be big enough for the Wallaces' needs.

Oh, it's big!

-A nice fireplace.

-Quite a nice size, isn't it?

-Yeah.

-It's dated and would need work...

-But not a lot of work. It's only cosmetic.

This is probably more our type of property than the apartments we've looked at, really.

Oh, they've got two single beds. What do you reckon?

-Yeah.

-So, it's probably just two bedrooms again.

-It's sort of like a bungalow.

-It is.

-It is a bungalow, yes.

-It's a promising start.

Ben has a plan to find that all-important extra bedroom.

If you made it open plan and moved it that way, you'd turn that into a bedroom.

That's what I'm saying. So you could have three bedrooms.

This, you don't need it as a dining room or study.

-Can we have a look at the garden?

-We can go out and see what there is.

Outside there's a walled garden that should have plenty of space

for the family's surfboards.

We did a full renovation in New Zealand

and it actually properly was in a worse state than this.

So, it's a similar project,

but in a hopefully better area, even though it's raining at the moment.

-But...

-It's doable.

-Yeah.

-Well...

-All according to the price.

Although Ben and Amanda aren't put off by the amount of work needed,

another big renovation project wasn't in their plan for the move.

So, will the price of this house provide answers or more questions?

-Shall we have a look?

-Go on then.

£450,000.

For a doer upperer.

Well, I suppose on par with other things in Manly themselves,

or Manly Vale or around this area, we knew it would be that sort of price.

Disappointed, I suppose.

That's £200,000 over budget.

Is the dream location simply out of reach

or can they find a silver lining behind all those zeros?

-It doesn't mean it's over.

-No.

-We learned our lesson in New Zealand, haven't we?

-Not to rush into it.

Take a step back and give ourselves a bit more time, really.

If there's this in the centre of Manly, what is there further up?

-It's not the end of it yet.

-No.

-Not the end of your dream yet, is it, love, to live by the beach?

-Yeah.

It's been an eye-opening experience for the Wallaces.

The first apartment was too small and soon ruled out.

The second had the looks, but it came with a big price tag.

And the last was ideally placed, but wildly over budget.

So, which way will they vote on houses in Australia?

-UK.

-Australia.

-I'm in the middle.

Why?

Because the apartments and houses we've seen today

-don't suit our needs...

-I agree with you.

-..and they're far too expensive in this area.

I've gone half and half because obviously we won't be able to afford to live in Manly,

but there are other areas on the East Coast and going up towards Brisbane as well

we can look at and research and look to live there maybe.

And it's cold in Manly!

It's been a less than warm welcome back down under for the Wallaces.

But if they're ready to compromise on a housing location,

a new start could still be within reach.

Sydney's sky-high prices have come as a real shock to the Wallaces

and left their Aussie dream high in the air.

But with any life in Sydney being an expensive one,

everything depends on Ben and Amanda finding good work opportunities.

In the UK, Amanda works in nurse recruitment

and earns £27,000 a year.

But she wants to get back to a nursing role in Australia.

I'm looking to get more clinically involved

again in the role of the nurse,

either practice nursing, which I've done in this country,

or occupational health nursing, which I've done in this country as well.

I don't particularly want to have to work full-time over in Australia.

Um, that's going to be left to Ben.

But Ben is a little more open about what he'd like to do.

I be looking to do anything basically.

As long as I had an income, I'm not particularly worried.

Anything sort of surveying, facilities management,

asset management-type job, I'd be looking in those areas.

Today, both Amanda and Ben are going to have a taste

of what it might be like to work in Australia.

Amanda is first to set off.

She's keen not to repeat the mistakes of their last experience down under.

'I worked four nights a week in a maternity hospital.'

It was like an hour each way for me to get to work.

Ben wasn't really that bothered in finding a job. So that's where things went wrong.

I'm just hoping that things are going to be different.

Ben is going to hopefully be more motivated and hopefully has grown up a bit more

in the last five, six years, to realise that,

to actually get this sort of lifestyle, you have got to work.

We're coming out here for the children, not just for him to surf, really.

As the main visa applicant, we've arranged for her to spend the morning on a maternity ward.

Unit manager Isabel Cullen-Romqvist will show her the ropes.

-So, you want to have a look around?

-Yes, please.

-Cool. Come on, let's go.

This is the postnatal ward.

We've got 20 beds, 12 rooms.

Er, some rooms are single rooms.

I think there are four or five single rooms

and the rest are two beds in each room.

This is room three. This is one of the single rooms.

We try not to double up women unless we have to.

If we're really busy, we'll double up.

-Only single rooms in the UK are for high risk patients.

-Oh, right!

Obviously, they come back here postnatally.

Where do they go to deliver?

-Delivery suites or...?

-Absolutely. We've got a birthing unit. Why don't we go and have a look?

-Come with me.

-Thank you.

While Amanda continues her tour, Ben is exploring his work options.

It's really important to find work while I'm in Australia.

Just to bring a living into the family

and look after the girls, give them the lifestyle they want.

It took me a long time to find work in New Zealand. I went there with the wrong attitude.

That did sort of grind on Amanda. She was working from day one from being there. So, it was a big issue.

I wouldn't want that to happen again. I'd like to find work first.

For Ben, an ideal job would be running a surf shop.

To find out whether it could be a practical option, he's spending the morning at Manly Beach.

Store manager Gerard McCallum gives him the lowdown on the business.

-How are you?

-Ben.

-Gerard.

-What can you tell me about the business?

-What we do,

a few different sides to this shop. You've got new boards, second-hand boards.

We do rentals, repairs, wetsuits.

The main thing is just finding the right board for the right person.

-Yeah.

-Working out the correct volume for their weight.

And it's kind of challenging because a lot of people think

they're a lot better than they are, so it's hard to get right.

Ben loves the surf talk, but he's also keen to get down to the serious business.

The big question is, what sort of salary would you be looking at?

You'd be looking around 40 grand a year, so...

-That's about 800 a week before tax.

-OK.

-You have to put in quite a lot of hours, being retail,

but definitely you'll have to put in some weekend hours,

because that's when everyone else isn't working.

That would be your busiest day, wouldn't it? Saturday and Sunday.

That's great. You've been informative.

-Nice to meet you.

-Nice to meet you. See you again. Bye.

What a place to work! Across the road, on a beach, into the water.

That would be a dream for any surfer, I suppose. 40,000.

It's not that far off what we were earning in the UK.

So it could possibly sustain us for a while

so it could be more of a stopgap sort of job for me whilst looking

for something that I would feel I'd be more suited to, basically.

It looks as if the dream job isn't going to be realistic,

but is then happy with his choice?

Since coming back from New Zealand, I think I've grown up a lot more.

I take things a lot more serious than I did before,

especially family-wise.

What's gone on since the return from New Zealand,

it's made me realise that family is the main thing, basically.

That's great news for Amanda.

Back on the ward, she's also getting down to business matters.

What's the salary like over here?

-Roughly 90,000.

-Right. Gosh!

-A year.

That's a lot. It's double what I'm on now.

That's good, that's good for you.

It looks like Amanda could earn around £60,000,

which is welcome news. But are there any vacancies?

We are looking for midwives, part-time and full-time.

It's internal. But I'd say other hospitals,

there seems to be a shortage,

-so I'm sure you'll be right.

-Lovely!

Have Ben and Amanda been won over by working in Australia

or would they rather stick with the UK?

We've had an interesting day today, finding out

all sorts of different things about jobs we could do in Australia.

Now it's time to vote.

-Australia.

-Australia.

-Why?

-The money.

And I could probably work part-time which is what I want to do.

-Definitely.

-Why did you choose it?

I just want to live in Australia so I'll do anything, basically.

And find something that's relevant to what I do at the moment.

-A proper job!

-Not so much working in a surf shop,

-but doing something I know what I'm doing basically.

-Before we come out?

-Before we come out.

-So we're sorted when we get here.

Ben's willingness to hang up his wetsuit

and find a better paying job is welcome news for Amanda.

But with finances looking tight, could the dream of living in Sydney

be blinding them from what it might cost?

Amanda believes their three-bedroom house in Newport is worth £150,000.

And Ben thinks his two-bedroom house is valued at 120,000.

They'll need the money from both properties in order to afford a house in Australia.

-So, we've asked two local estate agents for their opinion.

-Ready?

-Yeah.

My lovely little house.

Ah! Look at my wallpaper!

Lovely open plan kitchen.

It looks as if it's been newly refitted as well.

-Really nice.

-The living room's rather nice. Nice and bright.

Reproduction fireplace, polished floors. Lovely!

Libby!

This is a very pink room.

It's a little girl's dream and is, at the same time, a really nice sized double.

Looks tidy, love, for once.

Look at those clothes!

Really nice size. And as well, it's got a lovely outlook.

Third bedroom.

And somebody's obviously getting ready to go to Australia already.

-THEY LAUGH

-Oh, yeah!

Oh, no! That's not a good look.

It's a lovely family property.

A three-bedroom semi-detached in a really popular residential area.

I would expect this property to achieve in the region of £150,000.

If they are looking at a quicker sale,

they should expect to achieve approximately 140,000.

Having valued the other property, I would expect that to achieve in the region of 115,000.

For a quick sale again they should be looking at 105 towards 110,000.

-I still made money.

-I made more money on mine than you!

I would recommend putting this property on the market at 155,000.

For a quick sale, 145,000.

The other property we saw, I would suggest an asking price of £115,000.

For a quick sell, £105,000.

-I'm really pleased with my valuation.

-It's what I was expecting.

I didn't expect to make any money on my property.

I would probably have about 50, 55,000.

I have about 20 if it sold for 115.

So we'd have about 70, 75,

which is about 90,000. Which is OK.

Not too bad, I suppose.

Despite Ben's estimate being lower than expected,

they're staying positive.

But they'll really need to look closely at the cost of living

to see if they can afford this move.

Right. So this is the shopping list.

This is what we would buy on a regular basis. It's on a par. Yeah.

So that's the shopping list.

This is the bit that'll be really bad, I reckon.

The properties. OK.

Right, property three, 700,000.

So, the repayments are £2,734,

but, yeah, you would have to do it up as well, so...

-So, you'd need the money to do it up.

-Yeah.

So, we'd actually be...

£1,506 worse off per month.

-If we lived in Manly.

-If we lived in Manly.

This is worst-case scenario in the most expensive place we could possibly think of.

Yeah, and we could... We could do it.

Yeah. So, yeah. It's not going to put me off.

No. Good news, really.

Even though their living costs could be much higher in Australia,

Ben and Amanda think their incomes will cover the difference.

Will they vote with their hearts or with their heads?

We've done the reality check,

we've done the facts, the figures and the numbers,

and now it's time to vote.

-Australia.

-Australia.

So, why?

-Because I can earn a relatively good wage, so I could go part-time.

-Yeah.

You will, hopefully, be earning more money than you would in a shop,

and so it is doable, and this is what the children want to do.

And we both want to do it as well, so...

it's about time we done it, really.

-Put your house on the market, then.

-It will be.

The Wallaces are still persevering,

even if it means a rethink on where they want to live.

They're prepared to take the risk for the opportunity

of a better family lifestyle that they've all dreamt about.

Back home, Libby is a budding gymnast

and being able to continue her sport in Australia is a must.

So the Wallaces are heading down to Manly gymnastics club

to find out what the facilities could offer her.

-Hello.

-Hi.

-Hello.

-So, you must be Libby.

Hi, Libby, I'm Natalie, I'm the head women's coach here.

After brief introductions, Libby's put through her paces

with ex-Chinese national gymnastics coach, Xiaoqing Li.

She's keen to find out if Libby is good enough to be accepted

on the Australian national gymnastic programme.

Two...three...

Faster! Sprint!

This is fantastic, it's just, you know, so much better.

You can do so much more things

and teach so many more children, can't you,

with this sort of facility.

One... Straight leg. Two...

I think, obviously, finding the girls activities over here is paramount,

because they want to continue what they're doing in the UK.

Obviously, they can do this during the week and, obviously, weekends,

if it allows, and then we've got the family time, then, haven't we?

Yeah.

I can say she's powerful. She jump high.

Stand your leg straight.

Open your shoulders. Head up.

Yeah, when you go down, arch your head,

knees straight. Good girl. All right.

No, you came in too early. Keep going.

Leave your arms here.

I think Libby is good enough.

In NDP programme, so, it's Australian national programme,

if she come to Australia, I think she will have good future.

Ah, that's better. Good girl.

That's great news. So, after working out at the gym,

it's time for some fun on one of Sydney's golden beaches.

Um, we've come down to Manly beach

for the girls to have a surf lesson,

so, hopefully they might catch them later.

It's not very good weather today, apparently, for surfing.

It's a bit choppy.

Oh, dear. It looks like the weather as turned a bit British.

The conditions here are very much like home.

Windy, rainy, cold. So we're used to it anyway.

Bit acclimatised to this type of weather.

But rain is not allowed to stop play.

If you're going to learn surfing, you've got to go out in all conditions.

So, if you start on a hard day and you have fun on a hard day,

you're going to have a great time when it's easier.

And there's no time to waste as instructor James

gets the girls straight into the water.

Go, Aimee! Woo-hoo-hoo!

It was great watching the girls have a go.

Both of them stood up, so, really proud of them.

Yeah, it was really good.

And James was a really good teacher as well,

you know, to get Libby stood up first time.

You can't ask for any more than that, can you?

After a busy day in and out of the water, it's time vote on lifestyle.

Australia!

-He-he-hey!

-Why you?

I just love being on the beach, so it's a bonus for me, isn't it?

-What about you, Libs?

-Cos they've nice gyms.

-Aimee?

-Uh, both the activities were good.

-I just like this sort of lifestyle.

It's quite laid back and I need to be more laid back,

so it's a vote from me.

Sampling the Aussie lifestyle was a big success,

even if it did have a bit of Newport weather thrown in for good measure.

But the Wallaces know full well just how far they'd be

from everything they have at home,

so will saying goodbye to friends and family

be easier or harder second time round?

So, we've prepared some messages from their loved ones in the UK.

Do you think it's OK for the children to watch?

Yeah. Libby wants to see Maz and Tina

and Aimee wants to see her running coaches

so, yeah, I think that's fine.

'Hi, Ben, Amanda and Libby and Aimee.'

Hi, Aimee.

Hello, Libby!

Ben and Amanda, I really hope you're making the right decision this time,

for yourselves and for the girls.

I shall miss Aimee and Libby a lot,

'because I meet them twice a week from school and we make cakes'

and we do cooking and they tell me all their problems,

so I will miss them.

We're all really missing you here at Newport Harriers.

We've been training really hard,

we're going through our sprint and speed sessions,

'we miss you sprinting down that track, beating everybody.'

Hi, Libby. Hope you're having a fantastic time in Australia.

-Everybody misses you, we send our love.

-Aw.

I hope you're keeping up with your flexibility training.

But not too much. We miss you here.

'Well, Aimee.'

You know how much Grandma loves you and how much I'll miss you.

And you, Libby, I hope

'that you will continue with the gymnastics'

and really do well. Eat your food.

We both will miss you very, very much indeed.

'I don't want anything to go wrong this time, if at all possible'

and that you're all one big happy family.

I hope things will go well for all of you, always.

LIBBY SOBS

Come on.

I'm OK.

Is it cos of Grandma crying?

Yeah, you've probably never seen Grandma upset, have you?

You're going to see them soon, anyway.

It was quite hard, really, watching that.

Especially my mother.

I knew she would be, you know, upset.

We knew she would be like it, didn't we?

Yeah, I knew my mother would be like that

and I think it was a bit of a...

sort of, a shock for her as well, cos, sort of,

everything's happened so quickly.

-Where we are now...

-To get back together.

And get married and come to Australia,

so, it's probably been quite a lot for her to take in, as well.

I mean, they're obviously concerned

that we emigrated to New Zealand and we came back.

I think they just hope we're doing the right thing for the girls.

My mum did look a bit upset.

You know, all her grandchildren will live halfway round the world.

Seeing messages has reminded the Wallaces

of just how painful another move could be for them.

After all the family have been through,

can Australia really offer a future worth the risk?

As their week draws to a close,

it's time for them to make their final choice.

Emotionally, it's been quite draining, really, you know?

It's a big risk coming out to Australia, I suppose.

I haven't done it before.

You'll have to think about everything, really.

How it's going to affect the family, obviously, our parents, friends.

But ultimately it is about us starting a new life.

And, obviously, we got divorced for several different reasons

and I think we're more grown up, now, we know what we want.

Ben knows he has got responsibilities.

And we know the pitfalls now. We know the signs to look out for,

where we went wrong the last time, basically.

We went through the ups and the downs, and, you know

I believe our relationship is stronger now.

Ben and Amanda may have learned lessons

from their first attempt to emigrate...

..but their week in Australia has shown them that another move

won't come without its own heartaches and headaches.

So, will they choose a new start all over again?

ALL: Australia!

-It is nice weather, isn't it? And it's...

-Sometimes.

-And the opportunities are better.

-Yeah.

Australia's better than I ever thought.

It's always been something I've wanted to do.

We'll have a better lifestyle and it'll just be...better.

You know I've always wanted to come to Australia for the lifestyle

and the weather and the surfing, so that's why I voted Australia.

-And for the family.

-And for the family.

To give them opportunities they won't get back in the UK.

-So, when are we booking our tickets to come back?

-Next year.

The Wallaces had to face some tough times

in order to make their big decision to move.

After being home for a month,

I met Amanda and Ben to find out if their plans were still on track.

This has been a really important year for you both.

Well, for the whole family. You got remarried, so, congratulations.

-Thank you.

-I know the girls are delighted.

But taking that step to go back out and try it all over again

knowing that it went so badly wrong the first time,

were you very nervous about that?

I was. I was nervous about where we were going,

just cos I didn't particularly want to go back to Sydney, but...

No, I... You know, I thought it was an opportunity for us

to have a look round, and Aimee's desperate to go

and she was the one that was worst affected

through the divorce and everything, and she was so positive about going,

so I think her determination really inspired us all.

Driving us all, I suppose, yeah.

What lessons do you think you learned

from going to New Zealand that, sort of, changed your mind

and you were prepared to try again, this time in Australia?

Ben's going to put an effort in this time!

Yeah, I went in with the wrong attitude, I suppose, last time

and this time I know what to expect, so I know what to look for.

Yeah. And you know you've got to work!

And for you, Ben, is that the big difference?

Did you feel with New Zealand it was, sort of, more, perhaps,

of a holiday time than knuckling down?

Yeah. I know not to do that this time,

I know I've got to get a job for the family, basically.

Is that the proviso? Is it? Come on, let's be honest, now.

He's going to find full-time work...

-Definitely.

-..and he's allowed to surf

at the weekends, or the evenings.

And in the mornings if he gets up earlier.

That sounds like the perfect compromise.

-Yep, I'm happy with that.

-And it is warmer over there

-so I might don a wetsuit and have a go myself.

-Yeah.

How fantastic! So, my last question is

how quickly are you going to be returning?

Hopefully in the next 12 months to 18 months.

-We'll be living in...

-The sunshine.

-Yeah. On the beach.

Well, it sounds amazing.

We're sitting here today and it's pretty cold in Wales today.

For the Wallace family, the week in Sydney gave them a chance

to revisit their dream of a new life down under.

Both Ben and Mandy agreed

they've learnt from their previous experiences

and are now keen for a fresh start for the whole family,

this time, in Australia.

It sounds like exciting times ahead for the Wallaces.

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd

E-mail [email protected]