Orrett Family Wanted Down Under

How far would you go to live the life you've dreamt of

with the people you love?

For one UK family, the answer could mean taking the biggest gamble

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

If Australia fell way short of your expectations...

I'm sorry but this is horrendous.

..your children couldn't see any reason to make the move...

I don't think there's anything exciting about it.

I just think it's exactly like England with the sun.

..and you had to face some heart-breaking decisions...

We knew we'd have to make the choice

between being there for our parents and being here for our kids.

And our grandchildren.

HE COUGHS

And it's a tough one.

..would you still be prepared to give up everything

for a new life Down Under?

Australia is the most popular destination for Brits emigrating abroad.

They may be tempted by the promise of a better life

on the other side of the world,

but the reality of leaving behind everything and everyone

can soon turn that dream into a nightmare.

The Orrett family are about to set off on a journey

that could change their lives.

After spending a week sampling everyday life in Australia,

they'll have to decide whether to stay in the UK

or to make the move Down Under for good.

Meet the Orretts from Chester.

Stuart, who works in catering and paramedic Gill.

They have four children and the two youngest live at home.

Matt, who's 14, and 17-year-old Lauren.

They have a life they enjoy, but it hasn't come easily.

For the last 20 years,

Stuart has worked very long hours to build his catering business.

These days, I mean, I might do a 60, 70 hour week

but that feels part-time to me.

When you've done probably 100-plus hours a week,

going down to 60 or 70, it's like being let off early.

You feel guilty coming home!

Providing for his family has meant missing out

on seeing the children grow up.

It has taken its toll.

I feel as though with the two older children,

I didn't spend as much time with them as I do with the younger ones

because we were developing the businesses when they were young.

Stuart and Gill also have two other daughters.

Samantha, who works away on cruise ships, is happy to emigrate

and their eldest Christine has already moved to Australia.

With Christine expecting her first baby, Stuart and Gill want to move.

Both desperate to bring their family together.

Christine's emigrated out there in January,

married to a chap who lives in Perth, and having a baby,

and it will be our first grandchild

and we just feel this is a big transition in our lives.

We don't want to be just visiting them for two or three months

and having to come back here.

But moving won't be easy.

Gill recently qualified as a paramedic

and only she can get a visa IF she can find work in Australia.

It's our ticket into Australia, me getting a job,

so I do feel there's a certain responsibility on my shoulders

at the moment, you know, for the family.

I will feel quite disappointed if I let them down by not getting a job.

And the clock is ticking.

With Gill close to the cut-off age for a visa,

they're running out of time.

The years just sort of ticked by, didn't they,

and we suddenly realised, we keep talking about it,

we're going to have to do it.

Fortunately the children share Mum and Dad's ideas on emigrating.

I think it's quite good

because there's, like, nothing here in England for me and my brother,

any more and my sister's moved and she's doing her own thing.

We've always had it on our mind for the past year or so.

Me and my dad are, like, set. We want to go.

My mum keeps it to herself a bit. She's, like, well, this and that.

She takes everything into consideration.

Me and my dad are just, like, whatever - let's just do it.

I would want to obviously live by a beach and everything.

I would want a mansion and a pool and a massive balcony,

and a massive trampoline so you can jump into the pool.

However, the ideal life in Australia will cause heartache.

For the Orretts and those they love.

I do think things through, I must admit,

and I think this is probably why I'm coming over a bit more hesitant

than he is, because I am thinking about it,

talking about Stuart's parents.

They're not going to be able to travel to Australia. We know that.

They won't make that journey.

The people I will miss the most are obviously my parents. Erm...

There's, you know...

That would be the hardest thing of all. But...

Now everything rests on the next seven days.

Can they find the life they dream of?

Or will it be too difficult to leave family and friends behind?

It's a huge week ahead for the Orretts.

Not only will they be welcoming a new baby into the fold, but

they have to decide if Australia can give the family a future together.

With so much at stake, it's a now-or-never decision.

Having a warm Mediterranean climate,

and undergoing a boom that means plenty of job opportunities,

Perth should be the ideal place for the Orretts to start a new life.

But it's not about the glamour of big-city living.

As their daughter Christine and her new family already live there,

naturally it's where Stuart and Gill want to be.

All the Orretts, including older sister Samantha,

are making the 10,000 mile 24-hour trip to Perth.

Their first priority is to meet the family's latest arrival.

This is what the move is all about,

being together as a family in the same country.

Hello!

I came over to Australia about two weeks ago

for the birth of my first grandchild,

and Stuart came over about a week after

and while he was in flight our oldest daughter gave birth

to a lovely 8lbs 1 little girl - on our wedding anniversary.

So cute!

It really opens your eyes, to see your eldest with a baby of her own,

and a new family starting.

We're going to be considering our grandchildren as well as our own children.

My mum and dad have become grandparents like duck to water.

It's a bit scary at first but yeah, they're enjoying it.

I think everyone wants a hold, all at once.

Especially my dad when he gets a minute. He sneaks off with her.

To be able to hold Olivia on a daily basis is fabulous,

and it's been tremendous just watching her expressions change

as her face starts to open up a little bit.

Everyone's smitten with the new baby

but they only have seven days to see if they can make a new life here.

I don't know.

It will be difficult with it being the other side of the world.

Hopefully we'll be here to spoil her and watch her grow up,

but only time will tell.

Beautiful girl, aren't you, yeah?

To give the new family some space, the rest of the Orretts

will be staying nearby in the Rockingham area of Perth.

It should give them a good idea of Australian-style living.

But will they like it?

-This is nice, isn't it?

-The decking is nice.

-It's good.

-I like it open plan.

The open plan is a winner

and Lauren is quick to spot some advantages of Aussie homes.

I can pass you a cup of tea when you're sitting on the sofa.

-I can make you cups of tea, Mum.

-That's nice.

How do you turn on the TV?

You get the remote from here.

You can watch it when you're cleaning all the dishes.

Nice one, Stuart!

I'm not sure that's going to sell Australia to Matthew.

Outside, there's one local feature that really doesn't appeal.

Why do you think they have the walls so high?

Australia's mainly about the sun,

so we would want a lot of space outside to have the pool

or a Jacuzzi or something.

We need a lot more private, outside space.

The modern Australian look might not be to everyone's tastes,

but it's got them thinking about the week ahead.

-For rented accommodation, yeah, I like it, do you?

-It's OK.

It's practical for what we need at the moment. It's a good base.

The area's right for us. We'll have a look.

Everything seems simplistic, which is ideal for what we need.

Back in the UK, the Orretts rent this four-bedroom house in Chester.

They have a budget of £350,000 mortgage-free

to around 500,000 if they take out a mortgage.

For them, an Australian home would have to give everything

they need straight away.

I think what we're looking for in an Australian house is...

-I would like a pool.

-Snooker table.

-I like the open-plan living.

-Easy to maintain.

-Some outside space to entertain.

-A hot tub or something.

-Modern.

-Modern.

-A nice balcony.

-Games room.

We would very much like to be able to just move in,

put our furniture there and go out and enjoy the Australian lifestyle.

The Orretts might have strong ideas about what they want

from a house in Perth, but will their budget be enough

to get them anywhere near their dream home?

Australian house prices have been rising,

while exchange rates and property prices have dropped in the UK.

Today we'll give the Orretts a taste of the housing market in Perth.

We've lined up three properties based on their price range

and what they want from their ideal home.

After seeing each one for themselves,

they'll discover how much they cost.

The first house is in the Secret Harbour area.

It's an hour from the city centre, but as an established neighbourhood,

it has plenty of facilities for families.

This four-bedroom house is typically Aussie in its style.

But will it be to the Orretts' tastes?

This is nice, isn't it?

Oh. It's empty.

-This is the master bedroom then, Stu.

-It's my room.

-It is.

-It's a big room.

We're looking for something...bigger.

It's definitely getting a warm reception.

Can they get to grips with the layout?

This is quite a random space.

-It looks like it would be like an office.

-Nice hallway.

This must be the lounge.

-It is a big lounge.

-Would it be a lounge, though?

It is a lounge, isn't it?

I think it's quite dark, though.

The kitchen's nice. It's got cupboards!

It's got walk-in cupboards. I love that.

So, is this house worth moving across the world for?

No, there's nothing I've walked in and gone, "Wow. That's amazing."

No. It hasn't got the wow factor. It's got the sensibility factor,

but not the wow factor.

It's got within-our-grasp factor.

This is a bad start for the Orretts' dream.

There is one feature that might lift their spirits.

I can see the pool.

This is my ideal outdoor space. It's lovely.

It's not overlooked.

This would probably be a very good stepping stone property

to feel our way over here and find out

our actual needs when we get here.

I love it.

This house hasn't wowed the family,

but it is one that Stuart and Gill could see themselves living in.

Can the price make it more appealing?

OK, Sam. Would you like to do the honours?

-That's good.

-That's cheap.

-That's OK.

-Yeah.

-Yeah.

-That's acceptable.

-It's about what I thought it was probably worth...

-Yeah.

-..in all honesty. So there's no shocks there.

-No.

£358,000 is well within their £500,000 budget.

-But that's not enough for Lauren.

-You'd be comfortable in this house.

No, I think it's too boring. I think there's no view.

I don't think there's anything exciting about it.

I think it's more for like...

old people.

Lauren might be setting the bar pretty high,

but Australian houses haven't really excited

the rest of the family either.

Hopefully, the second house will change all that.

Also in Secret Harbour,

this four-bedroom home should be big enough for the Orretts.

It has a style that isn't typically Australian on the outside...

or on the inside.

Oh. That surprised me.

I expected that to be a bit more open plan there.

-A little bit dark, isn't it?

-I don't like the curtains.

That's not a good start.

There seems to be something about the look that just isn't working.

-It's not a typical Australian home. I feel it's...

-Too English.

Too British. It'll be interesting to see the rest of it.

There is an open-plan lounge with an unusual feature.

Can that add any appeal?

I wouldn't imagine the kitchen, dining room, snooker table...

rather than the kitchen, dining room, lounge.

I think one person would beg to differ, eh, Matthew?

It's really nice. I like the snooker table.

It fits perfectly in the space.

But everyone is much more united in their feelings about the bedrooms.

It's more of an English bedroom-size,

even the fitted sort of wardrobes.

It's not what we imagined to be in Australia,

what we'd see in Australia.

And things soon go from bad to worse.

-I'm sorry, but this is horrendous.

-Yeah.

-It's not what I'd expect to see.

-It's very small, isn't it?

Luckily, there is something not so typically English

which might be their cup of tea.

Where's my pool?

That's a nice pool. This is a nice area, isn't it?

This would be a good outdoor space for you kids.

-We've got a bar.

-I love this pool.

That is awesome.

This bar area is...

It's very usable.

It's tacky, but it's nice-tacky, isn't it? It's entertaining, isn't it?

-The outside bit, I think, is so cool.

-I like it.

This house might not be exactly to everyone's taste,

but the outdoor space has certainly tickled the Orretts' fancy.

The question is, is it affordable on their £500,000 budget?

Moment of truth.

Let's see what this is all about.

£467,000.

-750,000 Australian dollars.

-No.

-I think that's overpriced.

-That is well overpriced in my estimation.

The whole point of coming to Australia is to get more than what we've got at home.

I don't think it's worth the money, at the end of the day.

This isn't the Orretts' idea of good value,

but are they overestimating what they can achieve on their budget?

It all boils down to the last property.

Staying in the Secret Harbour area, the third house is much closer

to the beach and surrounded by lots of open spaces.

That's nice, isn't it?

That's nice. Oh, Matt, you want to see this!

-Wow.

-Now this is an entrance, isn't it?

This is a lot better.

It's gorgeous, isn't it?

Ah, yes. I think they can definitely see themselves living here.

-Oh, my God.

-Oh! This is fab, isn't it?

It's dead good, isn't it?

-Stuart, get me a drink from the kitchen.

-This is stunning.

-This is my ideal house.

-Look at the kitchen. It's massive.

This is my dream home in Australia.

-Do you think so?

-I think this ticks all the boxes.

It's just amazing.

-It's so nice, the kitchen.

-Absolutely gorgeous.

Mum, I'll probably actually cook in here for you.

Well, that's an offer you can't refuse, Mum.

And upstairs, things get even better.

Mum and I certainly sorted.

And it wouldn't need to be decorated again. I think it's nice colours.

You don't even have to take your head off the pillow to look at the sea.

That's nice, isn't it?

You can even look at the view when you're lying in the bath.

You can see the sea from the bath.

They've really made the most of the views when they've built this house, haven't they?

And it's not just the inside that has won Gill over.

-The outside space has also impressed.

-I need this house.

-Do you, darling?

-I need this house.

-You need...

-I do.

And what do you need about this house?

Well, this is moving to Australia, isn't it? Look at it.

It seems the Orretts have finally arrived.

I feel like I'm at home already.

You've got your long drive, your gates and your hammock.

Yeah, and the Jacuzzi, the barbecue.

I think it's gorgeous.

I feel really comfortable here.

That's good to hear, but there's still the small matter of the price.

Everyone might have fallen for this house,

but if it's beyond their budget, could it bring the move to a grinding halt?

Shall we turn the card over and put ourselves out of our misery? Ready?

OK. No sharp intake of breath.

It's nearly £600,000.

That's not bad.

Do you know what? That is actually less than I thought it would be.

I thought it would be well over a million dollars.

I thought it would be at least 1,150 on there, 1.1.

Have you got your cheque book with you, then?

Affording this house would mean taking out a large mortgage,

but it's not putting Gill off.

That's not out of our reach completely. Is it?

-Nod. Do it. Say, "Yes, Gill."

-This is...

It's certainly one to think about. What do you think, kids?

-Like the house?

-Yes. If we move here, I'll do all the cleaning.

-What was that, Matthew?

-I'll do some cleaning.

Nice try, Matthew.

But you might have to do a lot of cleaning to afford this house.

So, what have the Orretts made of homes in Perth?

The first one was within budget and somewhere Stuart and Gill

could call home. Just.

The second was far too British in its styling

and didn't excite anyone.

But the third was everything the Orretts had imagined,

even if it would strain the cheque book.

It's time to vote.

Based on our experience of Australian property,

we are voting for...

-..Australia.

-UK.

-Australia.

-Australia.

-Australia.

-UK, Lauren?

-Yeah.

-Why have you said that?

Because I don't think there's anything interesting.

I think that out of the three houses that we've seen, only one of them

is amazing and the two others are typical English houses.

And we're moving from England to have a fresh start.

So what's the point of going to another house which is exactly...

well, pretty much similar to the one we've got in England?

So the most expensive house would obviously

-swing your judgment, at the end of the day?

-Yeah.

-Just a diva.

But it's not just Lauren who's been swayed by the dream house.

The cheapest property we saw out of the three was adequate.

And the most expensive property we saw was exceptional.

And I'd like to think we could aim for exceptional

and that would give us all everything and more in abundance.

Despite Lauren's vote, the Orretts looked to have found their dream Aussie home.

However, it comes complete with an eye-watering price tag

and affording it will need Gill and Stuart to find

good work prospects in Perth.

In the UK, Stuart runs a busy catering company

that he's built up from scratch over the last 20 years.

However, the business has suffered in the current recession.

'It's been a very hard slog in comparison to what it was

'in the glory years of maybe ten years ago.'

Stuart's hoping to sell his business

and work for someone else in Australia.

But it's Gill's paramedic qualifications that are key to emigrating.

She qualified three years ago

and it's her job that would secure them an Australian visa.

It's our ticket into Australia, me getting a job, so I do feel as if

there's a certain responsibility on my shoulders at the moment

for the family. I will feel quite disappointed

if I let them down by not getting a job.

So we've arranged for Gill to spend time

at the St John's Emergency Centre in Perth.

Expat Christian starts off her day with a chance to see

what she'd be driving.

Looks smaller than what I'm used to working on.

Absolutely. It's about half the size, I think, of a UK ambulance.

Well, that's a first.

Something in Australia actually smaller than in the UK!

And while Gill gets to grips with an Aussie ambulance,

Stuart is off to explore his job prospects

with a local catering firm.

Will he see enough to persuade him to give up the business he's built?

Owner Michael Davies is on hand to show Stuart around.

So, Stuart, this is our production kitchen.

Stuart's in familiar territory,

but he's still playing his cards close to his chest.

All of the dirty dishes come through here,

they're processed, same with the dirty ones over here,

all going through the dishwasher.

We have a team of staff that work over here, polish everything,

straight back onto the shelf, ready to go again.

I have a couple of women who work for me who would die for this.

Across town, Gill is getting to the details

of being a paramedic in Australia.

She qualified just three years ago, but as the main breadwinner,

everything depends on her salary.

Christian, could you tell me how much I could be expected to earn

as a paramedic with three years' experience in Western Australia?

A paramedic that has worked between one and three years

would be on around 80,700 a year.

That's rather a lot more than I'm earning in the UK.

-That includes all your shift allowances.

-Yeah.

And all your unsocial hours.

I think it's roughly about 60,000 UK pounds a year,

which is probably approximately double

to what I'm earning at the moment in the UK.

-Yeah.

-So, yeah, very encouraging.

-It is very encouraging, it's a very well-paid job here.

-Yeah.

That's great news for Gill and the Orretts' hopes

of affording the move.

I'm really impressed with the St John Ambulance here.

The facilities and their headquarters seem very welcoming,

the staff seem very welcoming and they did give me an indication

of what salary I could expect, which was really quite exciting

and makes me want to get on a plane tomorrow and get over here.

For Stuart, moving to Australia would mean giving up his business

and working for someone else. But he's hoping this could be a way

to escape the punishing hours he puts in.

How have you found your, sort of, daily routine?

What sort of hours do you start, finish, etc,

particularly with weekends?

The reason that we've focused so heavily on corporate catering,

it's Monday to Friday, it's during the day,

I'm home at every night, to have dinner with the kids.

We work very hard when we're at work,

but we've a fantastic balance to our life.

Sounds the sort of thing I'd like to do.

Regular hours are just what Stuart wants,

but how does the salary compare?

-Could you give me some idea of what that might be?

-Yeah, absolutely.

As far as hospitality supervisors,

hospitality managers go in the Perth Metro area,

we'd be looking at an average wage of about 60,000 per year.

I mean AU60,000 broken into UK terms

would be around the mid £30,000

and certainly for somebody who's helping run companies,

it is a good salary. It would certainly be something I'd be interested in,

particularly with the hours. In my eyes, I'd be working part time

for a sensible wage, which is something I'd be interested in.

It's been a good morning for Stuart and Gill

and when they meet up, it's a chance to share their news.

What sort of hours would you be doing?

You'd wouldn't be doing 5am starts and working till 7pm at night still, would you?

No, it'd be part time, 40 hours per week!

I just couldn't believe 40 hours per week is achievable

even for people who own the company.

You know, it had to offer something pretty special

to leave what I've got in the UK,

but, yeah, the salary here is double what I'm earning in the UK.

We're on a win-win situation, by the sounds of it.

So, when it comes to working in Australia,

which way will they cast their vote?

Based on our work experience in Australia, we are voting for...

-Australia!

-Australia!

That was a surprise! Not!

-Snap!

-Yay!

-I think that was a no-brainer, really, wasn't it?

-I think so.

Gill and Stuart's work prospects look promising in Australia,

but they still face some big decisions

about the kind of life they hope for down under.

Could taking a hard look at their finances

be an unwelcome wake-up call?

As they rent in the UK, they're not relying on the sale of a house,

so it's straight to the cost of living.

We've provided a breakdown of their expenses,

now it's up to them to work out

if they could actually afford to live in Australia.

There seems to be a few key points jumping out there.

Oh, bacon's cheaper, you'll be all right

-for bacon butties in the morning.

-That's it.

Tomatoes are cheaper, soap powder is cheaper as well, that surprises me.

Shampoo. A lot dearer.

-But, hey-ho, my wine's cheaper.

-Oh, well. There you go.

-So I'm happy.

-Yeah.

I'd probably spend £90.87 in the UK?

-Yeah.

-The same shopping here would cost me £137.67 a week,

which means I'd be spending £46.80 a week more.

-So it's probably £190 per month.

-Yeah.

-OK.

It's not an ideal start,

but Gill's confident they could deal with it.

We've just got to live like an Australian

and not try and replicate our diet at home.

Eat less chicken and eat more steak and go fishing more.

Maybe we can catch our own fish, that makes life a lot simpler, doesn't it?

But how do the big numbers add up?

Keeping their feet on the ground, they've decided to do their sums

based on the cheapest house they saw.

So, we have a monthly income figure of £5,644.67,

which basically gives us £1,144.67 increase...

by living in Australia, per month.

That's a healthy boost in income,

but how will it balance against a bigger mortgage?

So, we'd be £74 a month worse off living in Australia.

It quite surprises me, considering my income has increased an awful lot.

I think this is probably mainly due to the mortgage costs,

because the interest rates here on mortgages are more expensive.

Shock, no. Reality check, yes.

£74 isn't a huge amount, but could spell the end for Gill's dream home.

When I was told that my salary was going to be doubled,

I had that top-price property and that gorgeous swimming pool

in the back of my mind.

I felt quite excited when I got told I was going to be earning double,

-but I don't want to consider the move here and struggle financially.

-No.

It's not worth it at the end of the day

to put ourselves under pressure just for this.

That would have a knock-on effect with Christine and everything.

It defeats the object. You'd end up working more hours,

I'd end up working more overtime

and we'd be back to square one, like in the UK.

On paper, it looks like the Orretts would be able to afford Australia,

but only if they opt for the house they least liked.

Is it a sacrifice worth making?

Based on our reality check we are voting for...

-Australia.

-Undecided.

Why have you voted Australia?

We're not going to be much worse off,

but we are going to benefit from obviously seeing our grandchild,

the weather, the whole lifestyle here would benefit us as a family.

Seeing things in black and white has come as a real shock to Gill

and it looks as if emigrating won't come without making compromises,

but this move has never been about walk-in wardrobes

and swimming pools, it's about the Orretts being able

to enjoy a family lifestyle together.

In the UK, the Orretts enjoy spending time outdoors as a family.

However, with Stuart working long hours and Gillian doing shifts,

those occasions are quite rare and limited by the British weather.

So today, they've come to Fremantle Harbour

to enjoy one of their favourite activities, a spot of fishing.

This is what Australia is all about for them.

Our motivation to move here is to change our lifestyle.

It's to spend more time outside as a family,

whether it be fishing or playing sports.

It's just the whole outside get-together

is big on our agenda, really.

As the kids grow up, we'll start to lose the communication with them

and they'll start going their own way

so it's important for us to have the last couple of years with them,

as a family, doing things we all enjoy, really.

It's a lovely day for fishing

and Lauren is bringing a brand-new style of it to Australia.

Lauren's a bit of an individual,

she's not your typical fisherwoman, fisherperson.

She thinks she's glishing today.

Glishing is glamorous fishing.

Like glamping. Glamorous camping.

Mmmm. I'm not sure you'll catch much that way.

-Wa-hey! Laurie!

-Ah! Spoke too soon!

THEY LAUGH

-Oh, it's a sparkly one!

-Thank you. It's only a little one.

My first fish of the day, yeah, it feels amazing.

Blue skies, clear blue water,

this is fishing Australian style, and the Orretts are hooked.

It's nice to be out here in the sunshine,

rather than on the side of a canal in the cold.

Girls seem to be winning at the moment,

Lauren's caught a couple of fish.

So, yes, it's good fun.

Gill's caught the biggest one of the day!

I've got a fish!

Thank you. It's segregated itself.

Oh, what's up? That's... Agh!

-That's not moving.

-It is.

THEY CHUCKLE

-That's the one that got away!

-I got a fish!

The Australian weather has certainly shown the family

the kind of outdoor lifestyle they could enjoy together.

But it's also brought home just how big a decision they still face.

We're here at the moment enjoying this wonderful lifestyle

and I'm really trying to put family and the UK to the back of my mind.

I mean, as much as we want to be here,

we know it's not going to be easy and it is going to be friends

and family back in the UK that will pull us back there.

I don't know how we'll deal with it.

I don't know how Stuart will deal with it, with his parents.

I know there's going to come that day when we've got to make that decision

and I don't know, I really don't know how we're going to do it.

We still have a lot of family back in the UK

and our lives have been built there, so it's hard to make that move

of just segregating yourself from everything you've grown up on.

I personally would find it very difficult to leave my parents,

I'm very close to my parents, and they've always been there for me

and I've always been there for them. To take that safety blanket away

is going to be a big, big wrench for me, particularly.

So, have the Orretts been caught by the lifestyle

they could enjoy down under?

We've had a fantastic day fishing today

and based on the Australian lifestyle, we are voting for...

-GIRLS: Australia.

-Undecided.

Oh, why?

Because you didn't catch any fish!

Sore losers! Sore losers!

THEY CHEER

That's what I call sore losers.

Voting undecided because they caught less fish than the girls.

Despite some definite vote tampering,

a taste of the Aussie lifestyle was a big success for the Orretts.

Spending time together was also a reminder

that not everyone in the family can make this move,

so will seeing messages from those left behind

put their dream in jeopardy?

The family have decided to watch their DVD together.

Hi, Stuart. Hi, Gill. Hi, kids.

Hope you're having a great time there.

-Hi, Stu.

-Hello, Stu. I hope you're enjoying yourself.

-TOGETHER: Hello!

-We miss you.

Hiya, Gill. Hiya, Stuart.

Gill and Stuart and the family,

they're very supportive of each other,

and very caring towards each other.

They're great fun to be with,

they're committed 100% to whatever they're doing.

While Stuart, as I say, is like his mother. He's soft.

True.

He takes everybody's worries on himself, you know.

He's a good-hearted lad, very good-hearted.

Stuart is so calm. He's calm all the time.

The kids could set fire to the house and he would still be calm.

She's been my best friend since I was four

and it's going to be like a big part of my life gone, yeah.

-We really felt...

-It wasn't going to be a holiday.

..we'd better be prepared, because we're going to be told

they're going to want to go to Australia.

To think they're going so far away, it's pretty difficult.

-We'll really miss them, wouldn't we?

-Yeah, we would.

As you know, we'd miss you an awful lot and over there,

if you stay, there's going to be a big gap in our lives.

It's only when they're packing and they go,

we'll sit down and we'll realise,

they've gone and that's that initial link gone.

(Come on.)

She can come for holidays. She can come in her pyjamas if she wants to.

How do you feel, leaving Charlotte and Laura, and coming over here?

Yeah, it'll be upsetting and that, but they'll come,

I'm sure they'll come over and visit me

and I'll make new friends here, so...

-Do you want to go home now?

-Yeah.

The reality check of seeing friends and family...

..is...so hard to take on board, really,

because you do tend to think that they're always going to be there

and as much as they're there, they're a long way away.

But we have to make the choice between...

We knew we'd have to make the choice between being there for parents

-and being here for our kids and our grandchildren.

-Yeah.

And it's a tough one. A really tough one.

Watching messages from home showed the painful reality of emigrating

for the Orretts, and as their week ends,

they face a stark choice between the life they want

and the one they'll have to leave behind.

So, will it be the UK or Australia?

For Stuart and Gill, emigrating has always been

about bringing their family together again,

but it seems that dream might be short-lived.

Even though my mum is really family orientated

and she'd love us all to be together all the time,

we've got our own paths in life.

They need to make a base now where they're happy.

Before I came here,

I thought Australia would be more, like, lively

because it's hot all the time. I thought everyone would be out

all the time, but now I'm here, I feel like it's too calm,

I don't think there's anything exciting about it,

I just think it's exactly like England with the sun.

And the week has shown that gains

would have to be weighed up against some big losses.

Seeing Olivia born and obviously just a few days old now,

how she changes every day is something that can only...

make you beam inside with happiness and pleasure

more than anything else. The thought of not seeing that

is very daunting and not a thought I'd like to dwell on too much.

I still do worry when we do get on that plane

if that's the decision we're going to make, what are we leaving behind?

Will they be able to make this journey out here to see us?

Particularly Stuart's parents who don't travel that well these days.

It hits home exactly how hard it is.

Being so close to them...

I don't know.

It's going to be a very hard decision to make.

There'll always be the daily contact with them, no matter what.

It's just for the emergency times, it's going to be hard.

-It's going to be...

-HE COUGHS

..tough.

As your mum said in the video, the DVD that we watched,

you like to look after everybody. You want to look after them,

you want to look after me, look after the kids, and you can't do it.

It's time to vote.

Has everyone been persuaded to make the move?

Or will the Orretts have to remain a family divided across the globe?

We've had a fantastic week in Australia

and based on experiences, we've decided to live in...

TOGETHER: Australia!

-You're undecided, Lauren?

-Have you decided Australia?

-I've decided.

-Why did you say that?

-Because I don't know.

-I'm still unsure.

-I knew you'd be like that.

Now being here and seeing all my friends and everything,

-I'm just unsure.

-That's all right.

-That's OK.

-Why have you voted for Australia, Mark?

It's just amazing, to be fair, Australia...

It's got good weather and everything.

How about you, Gill?

We've just got to give it a go for the kids, for our grandchildren.

If we don't try it, we'll never know, will we?

I think Lauren could probably be convinced about the move,

I think it's just seeing your friends has reminded you

about what you've got in the UK. It makes you a bit sad, doesn't it?

Yeah.

I just have to bring them all along, put them in a suitcase.

I think the decisions have obviously spoken volumes

for the family's thoughts overall,

weighing up all the pros and cons of what we have to do

and I think we've got to make the decision,

which we have done, and go for it.

THEY CHEER

After a week that has seen them get to know a new family member

and a new country, the Orretts have chosen to make the move down under

and I suspect, with a little push,

Lauren could be persuaded to join them, too.

We wish them the very best of luck.

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd