Godfrey Family Wanted Down Under

If all you wanted was to spend time with your loved ones,

how far would you go to achieve your dream?

For one family, it could mean taking the biggest

gamble of their lives and moving to the other side of the world.

Julie Godfrey's dream job is turning her life into a nightmare.

He's got the window down, he's screaming, "Mum, Mum, don't go!

"Come back!" You can see that he's heartbroken and it's just horrible.

And husband Alan can't take any more.

It was snowing, it was freezing, my wife was in London.

I was depressed and I just decided enough is enough.

But can they find a better future in Australia?

I'll tell you what, we'll do without Australia if this is it.

And will they be able to cope with the heartache of moving

to the other side of the world?

With its British-style culture and sunny climate,

Australia is the number one destination for people

leaving the UK in search of a new life.

In fact, over 35,000 people emigrate there every year.

However, the grass isn't always greener

and nearly a third return to the UK.

Ahead of the Godfrey family

is a week that could change the course of their lives.

After experiencing the reality of living in Australia, they'll face

a huge decision - whether to stay in the UK or to make the move for good.

First of all, they have to deal with the arduous journey that

takes them 11,000 miles from home.

After two days of travelling,

the distance has definitely taken its toll.

The first leg of the flight was fine,

the second leg of the flight was torture. It was really difficult.

I found it really difficult.

There is no way we could make that on a regular basis.

I think you could make that flight maybe once a year, max. Oh, aye.

-You could do it once a year.

-Not on your life.

-Not in my life.

-I could do it once a year.

-I could do it once.

-You could do it on your own once a year.

-That's fine.

Especially if we are to stay married.

The long flight has confirmed

that this is going to be a life-changing week.

Potentially, the next time we arrive in this airport,

we are not going back.

That could be us starting a whole new life.

Yeah, a whole new life in Oz. New school, new jobs, new friends.

-Do I need to be born again?

-No.

Nothing, at the moment, can take the shine off it for me and I'm...

Even me.

But, in the same way, I'm prepared to,

kind of, get a total reality check.

I need to leave here knowing the worst that it has

to offer as well as the best.

There's a lot of challenges still to be faced in the coming seven days.

But then the Godfreys are desperate to change their lives.

Back in the UK, Alan, Julie

and eight-year-old Cole live in East Glasgow.

Alan is an electrician and three years ago, Julie studied nursing

and became a midwife.

This was a job she'd always dreamt of doing.

I love it.

From the first moment when I qualified

and went in and had my first patient, you know,

my knees were knocking, I thought, "I can't do this on my own."

And then one of the coordinators just closed the door and said,

"You're a midwife, aren't you?" And I thought, "Yeah, I am."

However, since qualifying, Julie has not been able to find a vacancy

in Scotland and has had to work nearly 400 miles away in London.

This was going to be the short-term fix.

This was going to be six months, a year, maximum,

get me some experience

and then I should be able to get a job at home

and it just hasn't worked out that way so this,

instead of a short-term fix, this is a long-term arrangement.

Working away for three weeks at a time takes a heavy toll on everyone.

Julie's basically never here.

'In the last year, she has been home for just over a third of the year.'

That's quite a long time to be away from your family

in the space of a year.

It's definitely a long time for Cole to be away from his mum for a year.

Julie's long absences from home have the biggest impact on Cole.

I want my mum to be with us all the time

because she's always away

and I want her to have a job near us.

'When it comes to the airport

'and he's got to say goodbye to his mum,'

that's when he really gets really worked up.

Sometimes he's shouting, you know, and he's got the window down,

he's screaming, "Mum, Mum, don't go! Come back!"

'You know, and you just have to keep walking

'and you feel heartless for keeping walking.'

You're trying to wave him off

but you can see that he's heartbroken and it's just horrible.

It's a painful situation that can't go on any longer.

I was on a job, it was snowing, it was freezing, my wife was in London.

I was depressed and I just decided enough is enough.

I want something better for me, my wife and my son.

I want something better for my family.

This desperation for a normal life has pushed the Godfreys to

look towards Australia.

Knowing there is a demand for their skills,

Alan and Julie are convinced their family's happiness lies down under.

It can't be worse than what we are doing right now. It has to be better.

And, you know, all the other things - the nice climate, bigger houses -

maybe they are just a bonus. That's not what we are going for.

We are going to try and find some kind of way where

we can all live together.

The move might give the family time but it will come at a heavy price.

Cole's the only grandkid that my mum and dad have got

and I feel really guilty that there is a very strong possibility

that I'm going to be taking him away from them.

I'm basically tearing my family apart

to make me, Julie and Cole a family again.

'That's really difficult.'

Words can't describe how much I'll miss my parents.

Aye.

Even with so much to lose,

neither Alan nor Julie can carry on like this.

If Australia doesn't work out, we are running out of options fast.

-We're not living the now, we're surviving.

-Yeah.

Yeah, we're just existing at the moment and that's not what

we want for us and we certainly don't want that for Cole.

We definitely don't want it for Cole.

The Godfreys face a massive seven days.

Both Alan and Julie are desperate to find out

if Australia can offer the family life they crave.

But if it can't provide the answers, their dreams will be over.

They'll be spending the week

in the coastal city of Perth in Western Australia.

This might be one of the most remote cities in the world

but it is experiencing an economic boom.

Couple that with over 50 miles of coastline and it could be

the ideal place for the family life the Godfreys are searching for.

Their home for the week is in the beachside suburb of Shoalwater

in the south of Perth.

Arriving in the middle of the night and after a tiring journey,

this house will be their first taste of Aussie living.

Right, Cole, where is your room?

I think he's found it.

What bed are you going to have?

Cole has quickly made himself at home

but Mum and Dad are far from impressed.

It's a bit smaller than I expected.

It's a lot smaller than I was expecting but, then,

you come here with huge expectations, don't you?

Aye.

I wouldn't move from Scotland to something like this.

It's only two bedrooms as well.

You just think if people were coming to stay with you,

I would kill someone in here.

Aye.

There's a chance I might kill one of you this week.

Luckily, one little person is a bit more upbeat.

I think the house is amazing.

But, once Cole's in bed, Julie's fears become very apparent.

It scares me a bit that this might be what people live in.

And what we can afford?

If it's what we can afford,

I wouldn't put our family through all of that for this.

This is going to go really well or really badly.

Like most new arrivals, Julie and Alan have high hopes

of what property in Australia can offer.

But, while exchange rates in the UK have tumbled in recent years,

property prices in Perth have been on the rise.

So will finding a house they can love and afford be achievable?

In the UK, they live in this two-bedroom semi in the Garrowhill

area of Glasgow and they're keeping their feet firmly on the ground

when it comes to finding a home in Australia.

-It's got to have a nice area.

-Yeah.

-Nice school, parks.

-A few shops.

I mean, I'm not looking to be in a city.

If it's not within five minutes, 10 minutes to the beach,

we would like a pool.

What's really important to me is that there are other children around

because Cole is so used to being able to get out to play here that

I really want to feel safe letting him out,

you know, like in a little community where I know there's parks

and there's other children around and something that will let him settle.

Julie and Alan think they could have a budget of £300,000

so today we've arranged for them to see a slice of

the Perth housing market.

We'll show them three houses based on their budget and needs.

Ranging from the affordable house to the dream home,

it should give them a real idea of what's on offer.

The first house is 20 miles south of central Perth

in the Wellard area, making it well-placed

for Julie and Alan's work.

As this is a new suburb that's still being built, there are few

shops and facilities - however, it does mean prices are relatively low.

A brand-new show-home should be a good opener to Perth housing.

-It looks nice from the outside.

-Yeah, it does.

-Doesn't it?

-What do you think, Cole?

-Yeah.

-Yeah?

This four-bedroom house has plenty of space

but will the modern look appeal to the Godfreys?

First house, Cole.

It looks nice and modern.

Cole, you've missed bits.

I like this.

-Lots of space. Storage.

-It's really nice.

It's a big room, considering what you would get at home in a new build.

Oh, look at this wee room.

This looks like a wee living room for Cole.

There is lots of space to run about and play.

Well, this place has certainly got house-hunting off to a good start.

-It's lovely, actually, isn't it?

-It's actually quite deceiving.

Cos it doesn't look as big from the outside but it's long.

-Yeah, that's the thing, isn't it? It goes back.

-Aye.

And Cole has spotted a feature that would improve his quality of life.

You've got a cookbook for Mum.

-Mum needs a cookbook?

-I think she needs it(!)

Maybe he means he prefers it to Dad's cooking.

Moving on, the rest of the house is also a hit.

It's something we don't have at home.

-There's quite a lot here that we don't have at home.

-I know.

Julie's already figured it out how this house could work for them.

If you want to have your mum and dad and Stephen and Donna

at the same time, there is plenty of space to have them

and, like you say, give them their own space in the living room.

I think this room is cool.

What about the outside space?

-Is there enough room for a boy with a ball?

-Yes, I think there is.

-This is lovely, actually, isn't it?

-It is nice. It's really nice.

Seating area over the back. What do you think, Cole?

I think we should take this grass away and put a pool there.

You would rather there was a pool than a bit of grass?

-Yeah.

-Yeah?

The lack of a pool isn't the only problem.

This new suburb is missing some key features.

If this is literally being built out of nothing, where's the school?

And if it's a new school, has it got any reputation yet?

-Facilities and stuff. Shops.

-Yeah.

I wouldn't want to drive 20 mile for a pint of milk.

The location might not be ideal

but is this house even affordable within their £300,000 budget?

Time to go back inside and find out the cost.

Ready?

That's right at the top of their price range.

I wouldn't pay that to live in somewhere that has nothing yet.

What do you mean it has nothing yet?

I'd pay that if it was more established.

If it was more established, you wouldn't get it for that.

That's the whole point. I think if you drive up somewhere

and you see kids playing in the street and you see a park

and it's filled with kids and parents, that totally opens up

-ways for you to make friends almost immediately, doesn't it?

-Aye.

There's so much resting on this move

and it's apparent that the Godfreys wants to get everything right.

Julie might want the ideal house in the ideal neighbourhood

but that could mean higher prices.

See if we could get a house like this in the area that we

-are looking for.

-That's the big question though, isn't?

I think that's not going to happen.

The second house is in the Secret Harbour area,

40 miles south of Perth.

It's a more established neighbourhood with schools,

shops and beaches nearby - just what Julie and Alan are after.

This house is also typically Australian but it's smaller

and an older style than the first.

How will this go down with the Godfreys?

The front garden is beautiful.

Yeah, the front garden is nice.

It's small but it's a big couch, isn't it?

-It's older than the last one anyway.

-Well, that's the thing,

you've got to remember you just come from a completely new, modern house.

But the bedroom's a good size.

It's just really dark.

This is just... This area is weird.

Julie's looking at the positives in this house

but Alan is taking a very different perspective.

It's a weird shape.

You probably have the same amount of space as you had in the other house

-it's just not set out as well.

-No, you've not. I don't like this house.

-I do.

-I like where it is.

I like where it is but I don't like the house.

-I do.

-I don't like the layout.

I think that's the thing,

we can't afford the nice, modern house next to the beach.

Has Julie hit the nail on the head?

Alan may want the modern house

but it could mean a less-than-ideal location.

I would rather live in that other house

in an up-and-coming area than live here.

Perhaps the garden can change his mind.

Is this it?

You'll no' be able to play football in this garden.

-This can't be all the garden there is.

-This is it.

It's a bit of a letdown when you see the front garden.

-For the size of plot?

-The front garden is lovely.

The front garden is beautiful but you expect to have grass at the back.

-Nah, this is a definite no.

-No.

Unfortunately, it's Julie who's changed her mind.

Can the price turn things around?

After all, this house is in the right kind of area

and it's close to the beach.

-Will we have a look? Are you ready for this?

-Yeah.

£260,000 is well within their budget.

-I still wouldn't.

-Aye.

It's further away from Perth

so maybe that's why it's a wee bit cheaper.

I like the area and that's where it stops.

I would buy that first house today.

-Yeah?

-Yeah.

-Much better.

Despite being in the right location,

this house was too small inside and out and not to Alan's taste.

Could the Godfreys struggle to find the ideal house in the right area?

Everything now rests on the last property in the Waikiki suburb.

Also close to the beach,

this is a well-established area that has everything for a young family

and being close to the main hospital makes it ideal for Julie's work.

This road's too busy. Way too busy to let Cole out to play.

Oh, dear. That's not the best of starts.

Let's move on to the spacious four-bedroom house

which should have everything the Godfreys are after.

-What is it with us and old people's houses?

-I don't like this.

That's not what I'd call a good first impression.

Can the size of this house make a difference?

This is horrible.

This is by far the worst.

No, you would need to pay me to live here.

It would be depressing.

You go first. I'm scared.

I'm devastated if this is it.

I couldn't live here.

Will we have a look through there and see if it gets any worse?

-What do you say?

-This better be going for a song.

There is one feature that should lift everyone's spirits.

Oh, come on.

They've got a swimming pool, so they have.

-That's the only redeeming feature.

-It is the only redeeming feature.

The swimming pool's the cleanest bit of the house.

You know what we could do?

Set up a couple of camp beds out in the garden

and sleep in the garden and just lock the house up.

Yes, please.

At last, something they like.

This could be the turning point for this house.

However, Julie's worked out the downside of having a pool.

You know what this means, Cole, we can't afford a pool.

Because the people that bought this pool

can't afford to do up their house.

We'll do without the pool.

I'll tell you what, we'll do without Australia if this is it.

That's a real blow to Julie and Alan's hopes

of finding a house they like, let alone the dream home.

Can the price make any difference?

Turn it over, Cole. Let's go for it.

That's just over budget but I doubt it's any consolation.

-It's a dump.

-Aye.

-It's not a good area.

That's more than that first house.

That's more than the first and the second house.

-It's more than both of them.

-Exactly.

I'm flabbergasted that this is the most expensive house we have seen.

That's shocking.

It's a disappointing end to house-hunting even though

this house had plenty of space and a pool.

The day did start well with a house they all agreed on

but the new area was only to Alan's liking.

Things took a bit of a nosedive with the second house,

despite Julie's best attempts to convince Alan.

And hopes of finding the dream home crashed in the third house.

So, when it comes to voting, will it be UK homes or Australian housing?

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

-Australia.

-Australia.

I don't know.

If I was voting on the first property, it would be Australia.

But the second two really disappointed me.

I voted for Australia because I think the first property represents

what we are looking for, just not in the area that we are looking for.

But I think, given the space that we still had to manoeuvre in the budget,

that we can get something similar in a better area that

-we are more comfortable with.

-Aye.

The votes may have been cast in favour of Australia but,

after a chance to reflect on the nearby beach,

it's very apparent that this has not been the perfect start.

'That third house just bought a big dampener on it for me.'

Started off on a high then went down a wee bit then went down again.

I can see Alan really stressing about it. Majorly.

It's no life that we got at home, you know.

It's not like if this doesn't work out we can go back cos

if we go back, we are accepting that what we are doing now is normal

and that's not normal.

You know, we don't have what most families take for granted.

I'm doing this move for my wife and my son.

Basically, just seeing him jumping about in the sea, having fun,

bringing him back to the way he used to be, a happy wee boy.

Despite their vote,

Perth's housing market left the Godfreys feeling disappointed.

But it was the dream of spending time together that brought them

all the way to Oz and if Perth can offer a lifestyle

they could enjoy, it would be a big step in the right direction.

With Julie working away,

the Godfreys get very little time together as a family.

They are hoping Australia can give them the opportunities

they can only dream of in Scotland.

Cole's really sporty, he's very active and I want him

to go into a culture that embraces that

because if it's weather like, you know,

lovely Scotland then sometimes all you can do are indoor things

and that very much restricts what your opportunities are.

Today is a special day. It's Cole's ninth birthday.

To celebrate, the Godfreys are going to Rottnest Island,

just a short ferry ride from Perth

and the birthday boy's in for a special treat.

-Look at you.

-Check you out.

-Yeah.

You are in charge of that so if we crash, it's your fault.

It's renowned for its pristine beaches,

making it popular with day-trippers from Perth and beyond.

Cole loves the beach. He only learned to swim recently.

He was never really a swimmer, either.

So all of a sudden he's just...

The beach is his place and it's lovely to think that

if we moved here that, you know, we could do this regularly.

For Alan, this is exactly what he's been dreaming of -

bringing his family back together.

You just couldn't do that in Scotland.

You don't get the weather. You don't get the time.

As I say, it's just really good to see somebody happy again.

I'm away from Cole a lot of the year.

Last year I was only home for 13 weeks out of 52

but I make a point of being with him every birthday and every Christmas.

But I have to say we've never done

anything this exciting on his birthday, you know.

He said to me, you know, "Can we do this next year?"

So that's enough for me. He's having a great time.

After a morning on the beach, there's another treat

for nature-loving Cole - a chance to meet some quokkas.

These little marsupials are not found anywhere else in the world.

It looks friendly, but. Yeah.

That's a boy.

Wee greedy grubbers, aren't they?

That one is huge. That one will eat you.

# Happy birthday, dear Cole

# Happy birthday to you. #

Yeah!

And then it's back to the beach

to search for some better-known wildlife.

He's found Nemo.

It's been a day of simple pleasures but one that's highlighted

the importance of time together and what the Godfreys have been missing.

My day's been brilliant.

I think this has been the best birthday ever

because I've had it in Australia and it's really sunny

and I can go to the beach and everything.

It makes me realise more that we've got to do everything

we can to get here.

The more time Julie and Cole spent together,

they're going to start bonding a lot more again.

It would be good just to see what I can see from here.

It's no' very often I see a sight like that back in Scotland.

I like spending time with my mum and dad.

I don't spend enough time with Mum in Scotland.

Then it's time to vote on lifestyle but there's just one little problem.

-How are we going to get him out the water?

-I don't know.

Cole! Five minutes, pal. Right, time starts now.

No!

It's been a great day today.

It's been a good birthday so today we are going to vote for...

TOGETHER: Australia.

Experiencing an Aussie lifestyle gave Alan and Julie a glimpse

of the future they dream of and a very happy little boy

but it's only half the battle.

Emigrating will mean full-time work for Mum and Dad

and if they face long hours away,

they would be no better off than if they were at home.

Three years ago, Julie qualified as a maternity nurse -

the job she had always dreamt of.

But ever since then she has had to work in London.

Unable to find any suitable vacancies in Scotland,

she's at the end of her tether.

'I'm really struggling to find a way to bring it all together.'

It brings it home every time I'm in a room and a baby's born and you

see that family brought together and then you think, "Where's my family?

"I'm not with my family."

She's spending the morning at Rockingham Hospital

to see if Australia can offer any hope of a normal work/life balance.

Everything is riding on this.

It's really important that I get the right job,

that I'm 100% comfortable with the hospital, the role.

I'm under quite a bit of pressure today to find out

the full picture as much as I can.

Julie is met by maternity manager Karen

who has got all the facts and figures to hand.

You have a monthly turnaround of about 120 women.

That gives us a very manageable amount of work.

Karen wants to test out Julie's bedside manner

so she's giving her a chance to meet one of the newest mums on the ward.

Hello.

-Congratulations.

-Thank you.

-She's beautiful. What did you call her?

-Gracie.

-Aww.

-This is number two.

-Do you have the same midwives that looked after you?

It's funny cos I've seen some and it's two and a half years ago and

I've actually seen some of them and they recognised me from last time.

That was... Yeah. Oh, dear.

Meanwhile, with Cole being looked after by a childminder,

Alan is on his way to find out about his work prospects.

The home and lifestyle they crave depends on Alan also being

able to find well-paid work.

If we do make the move, me and Julie need to hit the ground running,

get jobs straight away and the two of us

need to start working straight away to realise the dream, basically.

As a self-employed electrician,

today is going to be particularly nerve-racking for Alan.

I usually get a job just straight through word-of-mouth, people that

I know, so I'm actually going to meet somebody I've never met before.

I'm feeling a bit nervous.

Luckily for Alan, company owner Bruce Marshall isn't too formal

when it comes to the interview.

What's your background as far as electrical?

Basically, I've done a bit of everything, to be honest with you.

I've done industrial, commercial, domestic.

Despite his nerves, Alan seems to be doing well.

And he is keen to address his biggest worry -

getting the necessary licence to work in Australia.

I might be in a wee bit of a Catch-22 situation

where a lot of companies won't employ me on a restricted licence

but I need to be working to get my A grade licence.

-Is that right?

-Yes, you do.

You need to be sponsored by an electrical contractor

and then you will have to do training.

-How long does that take, the training?

-It's a week.

-A week, a week.

-A week of your time, providing you pass.

That is good news.

Alan could be fully licensed to work as an electrician very quickly.

Is there a big difference in pay between the restricted licence?

-Absolutely.

-Is there? Is it a big difference, yeah?

-Yeah.

-What are we talking?

-Your income in WA for a good licensed tradesman

would be between 60 to 75 working in Perth.

That's another good result.

It could mean earning nearly £20,000 more than he does in the UK.

Over at the hospital,

Julie and Karen are getting down to the details.

-So, you'd come in with three years of experience?

-Yes.

-Yes.

You come in at 57,565.

You'd go up to 60,155.

Generally speaking, as far as operational services go,

the on the ground midwifery staff,

the top salary for that one would be 80,000.

Sure.

That could mean a salary of nearly £50,000 -

£20,000 more than she earns at home.

However, this move is about something more than money.

I'm looking for a change of lifestyle, as such.

I'm still willing to be completely flexible with my shifts

but I'd like to occasionally be able to take my child to school,

which is something I don't get the chance to do.

How do you work, if it was full-time?

How would the shifts pan out over the week?

The morning shifts we start at 6.30, finishing at 3pm.

So that's an idea that you have the whole afternoon with your children

and the same thing would be next shift if you're coming on at night.

The night shift will start at 8.30 and finish at 6.30

or seven in the morning

and you'll be able to go off and get everybody ready for school.

The pay and hours could be ideal for Julie

and that leaves the last crucial question.

Do you think there's much in the way of opportunities if I was to try

and arrive in Perth and get a job as a midwife?

I would say we would all be fighting for you.

THEY LAUGH

With their visits over, it's time for both Julie and Alan to decide.

Based on my chat with Bruce,

and everything that he had to tell me about work in Perth...

I'm going to vote for...

Australia.

No surprise there, then, and has Julie been swayed as well?

I've managed to get all the information that I thought I had to

and based on that, my vote for work goes to...

Australia.

I can work in a nice unit.

Give the care that I want to give and yet I can also have the shifts

that support the lifestyle that I'm looking for.

You know, it sounds like I'll be able to spend much more time

with my family which is the reason that we're here.

Finding decent work prospects and the chance to spend time

together is almost the perfect result for Alan and Julie.

But affording the house and lifestyle they want

could hinge on getting a good price for their UK home.

Julie and Alan believe it's worth around £125,000 and after the

disappointments of Perth housing, they'll need to raise every penny they can.

You ready?

I'm ready. Good news or bad?

So we sent round two estate agents to give an up-to-date valuation.

-Look how wet it is.

-That's Scotland.

It's the kitchen.

With livestock.

COLE LAUGHS

Nicely decorated. Very tastefully done.

This is Cole's room.

THEY LAUGH

Let me guess, Celtic supporter?

Nicely finished.

Fairly typical house for this area in Glasgow.

Thinking in terms of maybe an asking price of 120 to £125,000.

Won't go for that.

Three-bedroom semi-detached villa I would

expect in the property to obtain a price somewhere between 115 and 120.

And my suggested asking price would be offers over 115,000.

I didn't think we would get that in this market.

-If I thought we could get 120 I'd sell.

-Pleasantly surprising.

-This was the bad news I was expecting.

-Aye, well I was the same.

Maybe that's why I couldn't get to sleep last night.

Well, I'm afraid here's another worry still to deal with.

While Cole gets to enjoy a kickabout, mum and dad

tackle the big money issue - can they afford to live in Australia?

We prepared a comparison of costs to help them decide.

Might be able to move to Australia but can we eat?

Shopping.

Peppers!

£1.65 in the UK, £3.89.

Water's more expensive here

and you're going to go through a lot more of it here.

I can't believe how much more expensive fruit and vegetables are.

-So there is a difference of £13...

-35.

Oh, could totally deal with that.

Don't get me wrong, things are more expensive,

but I thought there was going to be a major difference in prices,

I thought it was going to be a lot more expensive here.

But what about the big outgoings?

The Godfreys would be looking to take on a large mortgage.

If we take it on property, too, because that's

the middle of the road one, the monthly payments are massive.

They are massive.

That's what you're talking about, £1,730.

That's an eye-opener.

Isn't it? We're going to be at least trebling...

here than we are in the UK.

That's an extra £1,000 per month just on the mortgage,

is the move suddenly looking unaffordable?

There's one big outgoing they've both forgotten.

But look!

HE LAUGHS

£900 per month in costs in London.

We forgot about that, didn't we?

And that's a minimum cost.

That is a minimum cost.

So what's the cost in Australia?

Nothing!

THEY LAUGH

So we're saving £900 per month.

Yeah, that's, that's the difference in mortgage completely absorbed.

Suddenly, the financial cost of Julie working in London has become apparent.

We've actually got two living costs back home

and over here we're going to have one living cost.

You're talking £1,700 better off.

More disposable income.

So our total monthly costs in the UK are actually more expensive than

they are going to be here.

So not only are we better off but our costs are less,

even though we've got a huge mortgage.

Do you know something, it's that massive chunk of money in London.

Aye. If you ask me...

SHE LAUGHS

Yeah, Australia wins.

Aye.

-We are financially much better off by living here.

-Aren't we?

So have the Godfreys figured out how to afford the life they dream of?

It's time to put their calculations to the vote.

Based on the exercise we've done today, looking at the cost

of living in the UK and also here in Australia, our vote goes to.

-Australia.

-Australia.

Seeing just how much they could save by not working away from home

has given the Godfreys' hopes a massive boost.

But there's still one more obstacle they have to confront -

the reality of leaving behind the people they love.

You've been looking forward to this bit, haven't you?

-Yeah.

-Are you sure you want to see it?

-Yeah.

-Yeah?

-Are you sure?

-Yeah.

Hey, guys, hope you're having a good time.

-Hi, Cole.

-I hope you are having a good time.

I hope you are having a good time.

He's always been there for me.

He always helps me out with any problems that I've got

and more so, he doesn't judge me for anything I've done,

he just basically helps me out then lets me get on with it.

Julie's great, life and soul of a party

whenever we get together.

She's up for a laugh.

Cole doesn't sit down. Cole bounces about.

He's always happy.

He's got ants in his pants.

Ants in his pants.

She misses home and it gets a bit difficult when Cole's maybe not well

and she's not there for him.

Yeah, it's very frustrating for her

because she's obviously helpless, she can't do anything.

If Cole did move to Australia I would be sad because he is like,

he's one of my best friends and, like, I'll miss him a lot

because he's always been there for me.

Alan came up to my house one day and just basically got me

and my mum in the living room and said I've got something to tell you.

He obviously found it hard to tell us

because it's a really big move and obviously there's a lot involved.

We don't want him to go, they'll be sad, losing,

losing a son, losing Julie, losing Cole.

Uh...it's indescribable how much I'll miss him.

Missing out on the best, the best years of Cole's life.

He's getting older and features are changing.

We'll not get to see that.

I'll miss all of them, I'll miss the whole three of them,

so I will, and I shouldn't be crying, so I shouldn't be, so...yeah,

definitely, that's for sure because they're absolutely fantastic

neighbours and they're really, really good friends.

So...

I hope you have really thought about what you need to do here.

I hope you make the right choices for yourself.

I'm welling up!

And I'll see you guys when you get back.

Hi, guys, just to let you know, I'm going to miss you

absolutely hundreds...especially the wee man, er...Alan...

basically, you're my big brother so obviously you've been there for me

through all the hard times that I've had.

Just want to say that I hope everything that you go over there for

works out for you and I hope to see you soon.

Thanks, pal.

Watching messages was a painful reminder of everything

the Godfreys stand to lose by moving and with their dream in

touching distance, it's left their future once again hanging

in the balance.

So, at the end of their week, how will they vote?

Now with their week nearly over, there's still plenty to contemplate.

I just didn't quite realise how close I was to my brothers.

Just hearing what they had to say really choked me up a wee bit.

I'm taking Cole away from them.

Cole's been a big part of their life for the last nine years.

The friends and family video really upset Alan.

'What they said was really heartfelt and they are not the kind'

'of family who are particularly over the top with each other.'

They don't particularly tell each other how they feel very much.

I think he feels like he's abandoning them.

For Julie, Australia is the last hope of having the family life

and career she's always dreamt of.

There is no other answer.

I mean, in Glasgow, I'm there probably about 10, 12, 14 days

at a push out of the month.

It's not healthy for us as a family. It's not healthy for my son.

This week's just been probably the best week of my life actually.

I came off the plane,

turned to Alan and said, you know, like, I love Australia already.

Erm...and I didn't think it would be possible to feel any better

at the end of the week.

For Alan, the future is far from certain.

Landing in Australia, I just...

I felt as if I had the world on my shoulders.

This is by far the biggest decision I've ever had to make in my life.

So when it comes to the crucial vote, will a new life together

in Australia make up for those they'd be leaving behind?

Well, this is our final day in Australia.

We've had an absolutely amazing week.

We've learnt pretty much everything we need to know.

We're about ready to make our final vote.

Australia.

Australia.

Undecided.

-Oh!

-Controversial!

That's a shock!

-You've been Australia all week, Cole.

-I know, been Australia all week!

Did the videos make you a wee bit undecided,

although you really like the place?

Now that I've seen the film, like...

it's really hard and I don't know what to vote.

That's OK.

-Yeah.

-That's all right.

Well, that's your decision.

OK?

We're going to be financially better off.

As a family we are going to have more time to spend together,

we're going to be better off as a family.

It's given us so much this week,

just a chance to be back together again and just start all over.

After a week to remember,

Alan and Julie have fallen for the promise of a new life down under.

And with more family time on the cards,

hopefully Cole's worries will soon be a thing of the past.

We wish them all the very best of luck.

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd