Howe Family Wanted Down Under

Holiday memories often paint a rosy picture of what life

might be like in another country far from home.

But can such dreams really stand the test of time?

One UK family are about to find out.

Dave Howe fell in love with Australia 10 years ago.

It was just unbelievable.

I was living the dream. I really was.

Now he's determined to move his family there,

-but wife Laurra's nervous.

-Yeah, it terrifies me.

But if I don't go and have a look, then I'll never know.

But when Australia falls short of his memories...

It's not right for us, at all.

..and Laurra's faced with the reality of leaving her mother...

If she thought something was going to hurt me,

she'd never even consider doing it.

Erm...

Yeah.

..will Dave's dream come to nothing?

In the last 20 years,

over 600,000 Brits have left the UK for a new life in Australia,

attracted by its mild climate

and relaxed outdoor lifestyle.

But not everyone has found the Promised Land,

and a third have returned to the UK

with their dreams shattered.

The Howes are facing a huge dilemma -

will Australia be that paradise Dave remembers from 10 years ago,

and, if it is, can he persuade his wife Laurra

to give up everything she knows and loves in the UK?

Over the next week, they'll experience the everyday reality

of life down under,

before facing the biggest decision of their lives.

Where their family's future will lie.

The Howe family have been travelling for over 24 hours

and they have barely touched down in Brisbane before Dave realises

things are not what they were.

This trip has been SO difficult.

10 years ago it was easy.

Just had myself to worry about.

And now there's two kids...

And Laurra's not great at flying. So it's been an experience!

It's just a really hard trip to do with two small children.

Yeah, but we made it! We've made it.

Dave's staying positive, but Laurra doesn't share his enthusiasm.

It's such a huge ask

to expect anybody to come that distance on an aeroplane.

And the weather's not helping either.

Just for today.

It'll be sun tomorrow, I'm sure.

THEY CHUCKLE

Dave really has his work cut out convincing Laurra

a life in Australia is a good idea.

The Howes are from Hereford in the West Midlands.

They are Dave, Laurra, baby Carmen, who's one, and five-year-old Jack.

Dave's always been fascinated by Australia.

As I was growing up, Australia was...

I don't know. I don't know what it was. It was very strange.

Ten years ago he was captivated on a trip down under,

and he's been determined to return ever since.

When I think back to it, it still makes me smile now.

I didn't have to write a journal, because I remember every single day.

I can't remember last week, what I was doing at work,

but I can remember 10 years ago.

It was a very exciting time in my life.

Wife Laurra has been living with his obsession ever since they met.

So I've always known that he's been a bit Aussie mad.

One of his cheesy chat-up lines was,

"One day I'll take you to Byron Bay,

"and they've got the most beautiful sunsets."

And then he'd show me the pictures, and they are beautiful.

Because I went alone, it'd be nice to share it with somebody,

and Laurra would be that person.

Hardly a day goes by without Dave talking about emigrating.

I pester Laurra about Australia a lot.

I don't think I do, but I know I do.

I want to get Laurra over there.

And I have been trying to for the past ten years.

But a lot has happened in that time.

When we go over, it's going to be as a family.

There'll be two little children. And we now look at things for them.

I know you know that, but when you went ten years ago,

-it was a lot different to what it is...

-Yeah, definitely.

Despite this, Dave's convinced Australia is the place to raise their family.

I think there's a better way of life.

For all of us, not just for the kids.

I think for me and Laurra.

I know you want the best for us,

and I know that and I trust him,

but the thought of going...

It makes it easier, in a way, because I know he wouldn't

do anything that would put us, as a family, at risk.

Laurra means a lot to me, and her thoughts,

if she is not happy over there, then us as a unit won't work.

And that's important to me. Because over here it does work.

So after 10 years of constant nagging,

Laurra has agreed to give it a go.

I listen to Dave and think, "Well, maybe you're right.

"Maybe there is more for us over there." I don't know what...

what more is over there,

but if I don't go and have a look, then I'll never know.

But for both Laurra and Dave,

leaving family will be a massive wrench.

We see them all the time.

We see my mum and dad all the time,

we see Dave's mum and dad all the time.

The kids love seeing their grandparents. Every day.

They've always been there to support us,

and I don't know how it would work without that support.

My family are very important to me.

They are my rock.

My mum and dad, and my nan.

To not see them every week will be very tough.

And Laurra has a particularly close relationship with her mum.

My mum is one in a million.

Her and Karen are so close it's unbelievable.

I suppose it's just the thought of missing somebody that much,

that I can't cope with.

I feel really guilty, because I'm the person who wants this to happen,

and tearing Laurra and Karen like this, is terrible.

Laurra's mum is so upset, she refuses to discuss the move.

It is a big "no" for her, at the moment.

It's not something she wants to deal with. And I don't blame her.

Because I'm considering taking her grandchildren

to the other side of the world,

and then I think how selfish am I?!

If she thought something was going to hurt me,

she'd never even consider doing it.

Erm... Yeah.

It's a massive ask for Laurra.

Can Dave persuade her a life down under is worth the heartache

of leaving behind the family she loves so dearly?

And ten years on, will Australia still be the utopia he remembers?

The Howes are spending the week in Burleigh Beach,

a Gold Coast suburb an hour's drive from Brisbane's city centre.

It's a favourite spot for families

with its calm waters and sandy beaches.

Their temporary home is this modern beach-side apartment.

What will Laurra make of her first taste of Aussie living?

Oh, this is lovely. This is really nice.

Kids love it! Out here, the view...

You can see the sea.

Erm... No, everything. Everything about it is perfect.

It's a gorgeous place to be living.

That's just what Dave needed to hear, but will it be enough?

Laurra's not 100% she wants to be here,

so it's very important that the weather's good,

the houses are good, the job opportunities are good -

everything's good!

So it's very important. So, I'm hoping it works.

We need to find out if it is what Dave expected it to be.

Whether it's different to 10 years ago.

Because I don't think it necessarily will be what he expects.

I think this is our one and only opportunity,

because we both believe that the age of our kids, it's the perfect time.

For Laurra to want to move over here,

it's going to have to be pretty much perfect.

It's going to take... Something will have to blow me away, to live here.

Back in the UK,

home for the Howes is this semi-detached Victorian house

near the centre of Hereford.

We've been living here for six years,

and everything has happened here.

We've had Jack, we've had Carmen,

-we got engaged...

-Yeah.

-..married...

-Self-employed here.

All our big life events have happened in this house.

I do see it as a sort of a house, I suppose, but I see it as memories.

Every room.

Especially the kids growing up.

You put a lot of love into a home, I think. And this is a home.

And it has an awful lot of memories.

And that will be really difficult to leave.

So if they made the move, what budget would they have

to find a new home down under?

We'll be looking at between 180,000 and 200,000.

I think Dave thinks that he might be able to get

a four-bedroomed house with a pool.

If we'd done this five years ago, I think, yeah,

I think for maybe 195 we'd get a great house with a swimming pool.

I don't think it's there any more.

I'd just like something big enough

for the four of us to be comfortable.

Somewhere that we can put our stamp on, that would be our place.

But it would have to be big enough.

And then if family came over,

you'd need somewhere for them to stay as well.

If their budget can't buy them the space they need,

would the dream be over?

I'm sure there's a property, in the whole of Australia,

I'd find to keep the dream alive.

No, I believe, somewhere over there, is for us.

I wouldn't mind if it was a doer-upper,

or if it was something that we needed to work on.

Because we did that here.

We've built this home for us.

I joke with Laurra, about I'd probably live in a shack...

with, probably, surfboards outside.

Erm... But no, it is important.

Laurra needs to be happy.

It's going to be our home.

To give the Howes an idea of the Gold Coast property market,

we're showing them three properties,

based on their budget, their dream home, and one in between.

After seeing each of the houses, we'll reveal what they cost.

The search begins in Reedy Creek,

a southern suburb on the Gold Coast.

With schools, major shopping centres

and restaurants, it's perfect for young families like the Howes.

It's close to the beach, but Laurra spots a problem straightaway.

It's quite, erm...a noisy...

That's the main freeway, isn't it, to Brisbane?

-Yeah, it is noisy.

-Yeah.

-Looks a nice looking property.

Yeah, nice looking house.

The noisy motorway is not helping Dave's case -

perhaps this three-bedroom, two- bathroom, starter town house will.

It's an...open space.

-It is. But it's a bit small, isn't it?

-Yeah.

Very small.

It's a disappointing start.

-This is a lot smaller than what we've got back home.

-A lot smaller.

And, you know...

And outside, things go from bad to worse.

Bit crazy out here!

That's some sort of foundations!

I don't think this is for us. This is tiny.

What a view, eh?

-Freeway.

-Yeah.

-No. No.

-So I can't tempt you with this one?

-No.

It's definitely not love at first sight for Laurra.

And after years of trying to sell Australia,

even Dave's losing faith.

You can't really get excited about looking at a rock.

Well, not even a rock, a foundation.

Is the Aussie dream fizzling out already?

Based on this property, erm...

This isn't going to work out to be a great day. Erm...

I just hope it gets better than this. HE CHUCKLES

Can the price make a difference?

This house may not be what they want,

but if it's within their £180,000 budget,

it could be all they can afford.

So, what do you think this is worth?

-I think it's 1,000!

-Yes, me too.

-Erm...it's... It's got to be under.

-Got to be.

-I'm saying it's under.

-Freeway, no garden...

A big rock.

If it's over-budget, then...

-Bad.

-Damn!

-Dream ends here.

-Taxi!

But it's...

-It's one house.

-It's one house.

-Yeah.

-1-7-1... Yeah.

-Yeah.

Is it 1,000?

It's 1-7-1.

That's only £9,000 under budget.

It is quite scary, actually.

Thinking about it now. That is close to budget.

And it's a bit of a...

Yeah, it's not right for us, at all.

So, yeah, I think it's going to be a bit worrying...

the next ones we see.

It's not the start Dave dreamed of.

If he's to win Laurra around, things will have to improve.

Perhaps the next house will help his case.

It's in the suburb of Burleigh Heads,

home to the Gold Coast's best beaches,

this area has a small community feel.

Can this modern three-bedroom semi turn things around?

It's a very busy road, isn't it?

Oh, dear. Not another busy road!

-Yeah, it is busy.

-But Dave's quick with the hard sell.

It's a nice feel, though, isn't it? Childcare across the road.

Do you like it? It's nice and big.

Things are looking up.

Plenty of space. Just needs changing to how we'd have it.

Laurra's making all the right noises about the inside.

Yeah, I do like this.

But the noise outside is still a problem.

-Apart from a big old lorry going by!

-Yeah.

-It spoils it.

Perhaps the bedrooms will impress.

Oh, wow! Look at... Oh, it's quite big.

Surprised! Oh, it is big up here.

Too big.

It's too big?!

It's too big.

Why is there two beds?

It's another bedroom.

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

-A decent-sized bedroom.

Got storage space, which is great.

Saves on a wardrobe, and it's plenty big enough.

For one of the kids, yeah.

-I'm thinking this is going to be too much money, now.

-Yeah, could be.

Oh, and look at this one, Carmen.

-Look in here!

-Ooh!

An en suite... Wow! This is a BIG room.

This house keeps surprising Laurra.

-This is more like it.

-Yeah, it is.

-Nice, isn't it?

-It is nice. I like this.

But...

I couldn't see myself living here, at the moment.

Erm...

A big old lorry going by.

This wouldn't make me move.

This property has the space Laurra wants,

but the noise outside has put her off.

And with only a small garden for the children,

-it's another set back for Dave.

-It is nice, it's just...

There's not a lot of space out here, is there?

Hang on, Dad. All might not be lost just yet.

Oh, look down there. Look at this.

How nice is that?!

That's more like it.

The house is in a complex with a shared pool and barbecue area.

This is nice.

If you've got this sort of space and you don't mind having...

And it's safe, as well.

It'd be a nice place to meet other families,

kids to make more friends...

It's really nice. Nice feel.

Just worried it's a little bit out of our budget.

So, if we lived here, do you think you could swim every day, Jack!

Yeah.

Because we can't always do it in England.

Can we?

That's Jack sold.

And even Carmen's starting to get into the swing of things.

So, is this somewhere Laurra could call home?

It's lovely seeing him like this.

If the whole family was here, it would be perfect.

It would be brilliant.

But they're not.

Although they were both excited by this property,

Laurra is still not convinced it's worth moving

halfway round the world for.

And with a budget of just £180,000,

is it somewhere they can afford?

So what do you reckon? Under or over?

-I think over.

-I think under.

-Under? OK. I think over.

OK, so, are you ready, Jack?

Come over here.

Turn it over, then.

-Oh, 205.

-205.

That's £25,000 over budget.

That's... That's a surprise.

-Why?

-Don't you think?

Yeah, I suppose, yeah.

-I think that's about right, for here.

-Yeah.

I'd...

-Yeah.

-You wanted it...to be a lot more, didn't you?

-Yeah.

THEY LAUGH

But for Laurra it's not about the cost.

It's just not singing and dancing for me. You know?

To move to the other side of the world...

it has to be singing and dancing.

After years of waiting,

everything could rest on the final property,

if Dave's to have any chance of fulfilling his dream.

Last stop of the day is in the Gold Coast suburb

of Currumbin, a bustling beach-side village, perfect family living

52 miles south of Brisbane.

This four-bedroom traditional Queenslander house

should have the space they're looking for,

but will it be enough to bring Laurra round?

Ooh, look at this one, Dad!

I like this!

That's nice.

Got a good feeling about this one.

That's the spirit, Dave!

(Laurra likes it, too!)

This is nice.

Oh, yeah.

The house needs some work,

which shouldn't be a problem for carpenter Dave.

-But what does Laurra think of it?

-I love it. I think...

-I mean, I like it.

-What?! What did you say?

No, I think it's really nice. It is really nice.

At last, music to Dave's ears!

-Can you imagine this being your bedroom?

-Yeah!

-Yeah?

What do you think to this, Jack?

It's nice and big, isn't it?

-It's lovely. What do you think?

-Yeah, I like it.

-It's a good-sized kitchen, too, isn't it?

-Yeah, it's lovely.

-Yeah?

It does need a lot of work, but...

-For something like this, it's worth it, isn't it?

-Yeah.

Nice to see you smile.

When we walked up and saw the front of this house, I thought,

"Yeah, I like this one."

THIS might make me move.

And the fourth bedroom's ticked another box.

So then you've got a spare room...

for when people come and stay.

Yeah, exactly.

And Laurra has spotted some more potential.

-It's not used at the moment, is it?

-No.

So, the other side, they've got that room.

So if you do that room this side,

you could have it like a little Granny annexe.

Yeah, no, yeah, exactly! Yeah.

-Good idea.

-Perfect.

I could definitely see the family coming to live somewhere like this.

This is the first time I've seen Laurra, erm...

Her eyes... Her eyes give anything away.

And, this is the first time she's looked at me and...and liked it.

I love the Queenslander homes.

It's a really nice... It's got a lot of potential.

Yeah, it's really lovely.

Looks like Laurra's coming round,

and Dave's dream could finally be gaining traction.

But if the price isn't within their £180,000 budget,

he could find himself back at square one.

I'm hoping it's under,

but I think it's going to be... slightly over.

What do you think?

-Hold on, Jack.

-I think it's going to be over.

You think it's going to be over?

I'm hoping it's going to be under!

It's not going to be over! I don't want to turn it over!

-Oh, gosh! 240.

-240.

That's not too bad, really...

It's way over-price, but Laurra likes it so much,

she's already wondering how far they could stretch their budget.

I don't know what I think now because I'm so...

I didn't think we'd find anything that we'd like,

and now that we have, erm...

I don't know what to think any more.

-You didn't think we'd see this, did you?

-No.

-And now you have...

-Yeah.

-And it throws everything upside down, I'm guessing.

-Yeah.

If we could afford this, then...

-Mm.

-Hm!

Yeah.

The Howes have seen three very different properties today.

While the first house was within budget,

it was too small and too close to the motorway.

Property number two had a lot going for it,

but not enough to win Laurra over.

Although it was over budget, the third house was a big hit.

And if they both found the right jobs, it could be affordable.

So, when it comes to properties, which way will the Howes vote?

We've had a great day, seen some amazing locations

and some interesting properties.

But now it is time to make the vote.

-Australia.

-Undecided.

-What's going on?

-I don't know.

I don't know that I've seen enough today.

-No, that's fair enough.

-At least it's not UK.

Yeah, that's really good. Well done, babe.

For Laurra to vote undecided is a big thing.

It's been a positive start.

But not one that's going to make me move yet.

That's better than Dave expected,

but he's still got an awful lot to do,

if he's ever to convince Laurra to commit to a new life in Australia.

Finding the right work prospects is going to be key

if Dave's ever to turn his dream life down under into a reality.

Back in the UK, he runs his own carpentry business.

It's taken five years to build.

My clientele is very good,

and it keeps on building.

It'd be hard to leave my business,

because I've put so much time and effort into it,

and I really have put in some long hours to get where I am.

Laurra works part-time as a receptionist

and runs a small cake-making business from home.

All being well, I'd want to continue doing this.

And, erm...

make cakes over there.

I'd want to work for myself, but, ultimately,

I'd want everything to go right for the children first.

My dreams of a job would come second to them.

Having been his own boss for so long,

Dave understands he may have to take a step back in Australia.

I'd love to, at one point, have my own business over there.

But I also want the best for my family.

Whether I've got to go back and maybe work FOR a company, that's fine.

I have no problem with that.

But what if the money's not right?

I don't mind working for less,

but if I'm earning terrible money,

and everything's more expensive and we're struggling...

If I find myself and Laurra maybe working a weekend, what's the point?

You can't enjoy the lifestyle which I've been going on about

for the past 10 years.

In fact, getting the right work-life balance could be key to

persuading Laurra to make the move.

We're going for a better lifestyle for more time with the children,

to do more things with the children, erm...

and if it's Australia that has those opportunities

then I'd be silly not to take them up.

While the children are looked after by a childminder,

Dave and Laurra set off to explore their work opportunities.

Dave meets up with John from the Master Builders Association

to find out if his skills will transfer down under.

With carpenters coming here from England, especially,

even if you've got a City and Guilds licence or qualification,

it's actually not recognised here.

You need to get a skills assessment done.

So that can actually take a number of months.

So it's not just a matter of basically landing here

and being a carpenter.

That's the unfortunate part.

That's a massive blow for Dave.

And as the main breadwinner, the news could be a huge set back.

Will Laurra's prospects be any better?

She's visiting a local cake-making company,

-where she's met by manager Andi.

-Thank you.

On the Gold Coast, there's a lot of weddings.

So wedding cakes is definitely a good place to start.

But then everybody has got children

who want birthday cakes for their children.

So it's... I think it's one of those businesses -

-there's room for everybody.

-OK. Lovely.

That's very encouraging news for Laurra.

Meanwhile, Dave gets the lowdown on working in Australia from local builder Shaun.

About the sort of money over here...

Would you have any idea of how much I could earn if I come over?

It depends what you get into.

If you went and worked for someone,

you'd probably earn around 50,000 a year average.

If I was sort of self-employed, working for myself,

would there be any difference?

Yes. There's the potential to earn a lot more.

You can earn up to 150,000 if you work hard.

-Put in the hours and...

-OK.

-..are dedicated, yeah.

And Laurra's keen to find out how much DOUGH there might be in cakes!

If you were to start it as a business,

what would your potential earnings be?

Most cake decorators working from home,

I would say, probably charge about 25 an hour.

However, if you were running a business from a business premises

you'd have to take into account your overheads and things like that,

so you should be charging more along the 50 an hour.

So it just depends on what set-up you're going to start with.

And what about the all-important work-life balance?

Do you find you have time to spend time with your family and friends?

It can get pretty full-on sometimes.

-You work as many hours as...

-Yeah.

-Yeah.

-It's never-ending.

Unless you work for someone, then, you know, you've got set hours.

-Yeah.

-It's steady.

-Yeah, it's steady. Which is good sometimes.

-Yeah, it is.

A steady job working for someone else in Australia

would give Dave a salary of £46,000 a year.

But would it be enough to buy into the lifestyle

he's dreamt of for so long?

If I take it on the 46,000,

it means Laurra is going to have to get a decent-paid job, as well.

Because on that money I know we couldn't survive.

It seems a lot more difficult to become a carpenter over here.

After waiting 10 years, is Dave's dream a lost cause?

It's time to vote.

OK, after seeing our work opportunities here in Australia,

our vote goes to...

-Undecided.

-Australia.

Why have you gone undecided?

With a bit more research, maybe it would've been Australia, but...

I need a bit more time to check out pay and, erm...

You can't just get over here and start working.

But, you - Australia - what's going on?

There's more opportunity down here in regards to the clients.

It's such a long coastal area that it...

There's so much more work available. So, yeah.

So that's an Australia and a... maybe, so...

-OK, OK...

-That's pretty good.

-Calm down, calm down.

Dave might be worried about work prospects,

but Laurra's vote for Australia

means his hopes of a life down under are still very much alive.

Now it's time to find out if they could afford it.

While Jack and Carmen take a nap,

Dave and Laurra get to grips with the figures.

They think their house in the UK is worth £190,000.

We sent two local estate agents to give an up-to-date valuation.

Really nice. Nice archways.

Nice feel to the property. It feels really nice to come in.

Thank you.

This is a lovely room. Very spacious.

I love the way it flows through from one to the other.

A delightful original fireplace.

-That's very nice.

-He's saying a lot of things.

Same in the lounge, as well.

This kitchen has been extended at some point.

It's much bigger than the average for this type of house

in this part of the city.

The kitchen itself is modern and well fitted.

This is a nice-size room. Lovely high ceilings.

Good use of space.

The recesses either side of the chimney breast

with the fitted wardrobes there.

I love the Australian connection with the didgeridoo!

There's more.

Yeah!

Some of it's hidden.

Nice-size bathroom.

Nice white modern suite, but still in keeping with the house.

So, very good.

This is a great child's bedroom.

Lovely, yeah.

Slightly smaller than your normal third bedroom.

But ideal for what they're using it as right now.

OK, this is a great Victorian semi,

in a really popular part of the city.

And in the current market

I would value this property at £179,500.

And for a quick sale, I would suggest 175,000.

No.

An attractive, well-presented three-bedroom semi-detached house

in a very popular area.

In the current market I would value the property at £179,950

and for a quick sale I'd take an offer for 175,000.

It is disappointing news, but Dave and Laurra refuse to be beaten.

No.

No, I'd say a quick sale would be the £179,750.

You can't find anything else like that around Hereford at that size.

-It is worth another 5,000.

-Yeah.

-But it's not as bad as it could be.

-No.

-No.

-No, not at all.

If they'd gone any lower, I'd be a little bit annoyed.

To see how the finances would work,

we've provided a breakdown of living costs in the UK and Australia.

First up, the weekly food shop.

Everything seems to be just that little bit more, doesn't it?

-Nappies?

-That's a big difference.

-Yeah.

-Wow.

-Five pounds more.

Potty training pretty quick!

So what does the weekly food shop add up to?

£56 more...

to do your shop here, than it is back home.

-Yeah.

-That's crazy.

-Mm.

There's a massive difference.

£56 a week. You know? Times that by four.

That's a big jump for the shopping bill.

Basing their sums on the Queensland property which Laurra loved,

the couple would face a mortgage increase

of more than £400 per month in Australia.

Then there's the other household outgoings.

-Look at electricity. Wow!

-Mm.

£60 back home, £188 here.

Car insurance would be £200 a month?

That's crazy.

House insurance...

Doubled. It's getting worse at the moment!

So where do their calculations leave them?

£192.34 worse off in Australia than in the UK.

That's just over £2,000 a year.

-So...

-That's my working full-time.

I want to work, but I also want some time with the children.

With the children, yeah.

So even if I was to work a bit harder, or for myself,

Laurra would probably only work part-time.

So you are probably still looking at a minus.

So, it is quite worrying, really.

-It's one of those things, isn't it?

-Yeah, yeah.

-Sorry.

No, it's... That's how it is. Figures don't lie.

After 10 years of hoping, could the hard reality of money

be about to destroy Dave's dream

of a better life for his family down under?

UK. UK.

Sorry.

I've got the same.

There's no point coming if you're going to be worse off, really.

The finances may be a huge disappointment,

but Dave's not giving up on his dream just yet.

I hope it isn't a dream killer.

I'm hoping I can maybe look at the figures a bit more

and be able to come over here to work like back home.

Come here for the lifestyle.

High on both their wish lists is time outdoors with the children.

So if Brisbane can offer a lifestyle they can all enjoy,

it could be another step in the right direction.

Jack's a big fan of animals and nature,

so today the Howes are off to a local wildlife sanctuary.

It's a taste of what they could do on a regular basis,

and it's going down well with Laurra.

Oh, he's lovely. You can't deny that he's... He's so sweet!

It's just lovely, yeah.

Being in a place like this does make me feel different about moving here.

Because Jack is enjoying it so much.

And Carmen. And she's...

loving interacting with the animals.

It's a lot different now to 10 years ago, obviously,

because I was obviously a single man.

But seeing stuff like this really does bring back how good Australia is.

The ocean front is part and parcel of life on the Gold Coast.

To find out how they could enjoy it,

Dave and Laurra get a few words of advice from Craig.

He runs Currumbin Life-savers,

a beach-side club which organises family activities.

One of the first things, as a parent in surf club is,

one parent must stay on the beach with their children on Sunday mornings

when we have Nippers.

So, you are forced - for want of a better word -

to mix with the local families.

It just sounds fun, doesn't it? It really does.

It does. It's important for us to find a community we can fit into,

because we come from a small community now.

And we need to find something similar over here.

Because otherwise we just wouldn't settle in.

-It wouldn't work.

-Yeah.

After sampling just a little of what's on offer,

has everyone been convinced by the Australian lifestyle?

After an amazing family day today, it's time for us to make our vote.

You ready?

Australia!

Oh, little man! You've gone UK?

Why have you picked home?

Because we would miss all our friends.

-We'd miss all our friends?

-Yes.

-Do you miss Nanny and Grandad?

-Everybody.

To see the children so happy, it does make a difference.

But, I know that they're happy back home, as well.

So, it's trying to balance it all up.

-I don't know yet. I don't know.

-I knew she'd vote Australia today,

but I still know that it's going to take so much

for Laurra to want to come because of the family, and how close she is.

Laurra's second vote for Oz is a huge boost for Dave,

but there's one hurdle left to overcome.

And he knows it's not going to be easy.

Laurra's always made it clear that leaving family and friends behind

would be a massive wrench.

And her mum is dead set against the move.

So what will the messages from loved ones back home

do to Dave's fading dream?

While Jack and Carmen are looked after by a childminder,

Laurra and Dave settle down to watch a DVD of messages

from loved ones back in the UK.

-ALL:

-Hi!

-Hi, love.

-Hiya, Laurra! All right?

Hi, Laurra. Hi, Dave. My babies - Jack and Carmen.

Hello, everybody.

Hello, everybody.

Hi, Laurra.

Hiya, Laurra, David, Jack...

-And Carmen.

-Carmen.

Oh, they're a lovely little family.

Very hard-working.

David is a lovely lad.

Dave's always been the same. Perfect gentleman, sort of thing.

Isn't he?

Well, to me Laurra is my little girl.

Although she is 28, or whatever it is, she is still my little girl.

Stunning.

Erm... Gosh, you're making me cry!

Just a beautiful girl.

And we'll miss her if she goes.

The children are...

Well, they're everything to us, really, aren't they?

Not being able to touch them, hug them...

That would be the hardest.

My initial feeling was...fantastic.

If I'd had my time again, I'd do it.

I wouldn't hesitate.

I think it's an amazing opportunity.

Then my reservations started to creep in,

because obviously it would break my sister's heart.

We are close. I'm quite close to David.

He's always been there, as a brother. I'm getting choked up!

Erm... I can't. I'm gone.

I didn't think I was going to cry!

-Well, it is the grandkids.

-Yeah.

You know, because we do see them a lot.

Well, you can tell, we are a close family.

So, yeah, it would be hard.

I just hope that you make the right decision for yourselves.

Erm...and I'll support you 100% in whatever decision that is.

Wholeheartedly.

We're all going to miss you, of course we will.

But you must follow your dreams.

And just stay safe and be happy.

I really can't believe that you're thinking of leaving us all

and going to Australia.

Erm... I shall miss you all very much.

I hope that you don't go,

or decide to stay. Erm...

Just... But, if you do,

then, we'll support you in whatever you decide.

But I hope you come back.

And I love you all.

I would be devastated if he went,

but if it's your dream,

and it's what you really want to do,

that we'd deal with it.

So good luck.

And have a good time.

Not easy, is it?

No.

This is an idea of what it would be like if we said goodbye to them.

And that's why I am upset.

Seeing my family emotional, as they were,

it does make me think how special our family are back home.

Messages from loved ones back home have been a poignant reminder

of everything the Howes stand to lose.

And, as they come to the end of their trial week,

there's an awful lot to think about

before making their final decision.

Dave has dreamt of a life in Australia for a decade.

We've had a great time,

seen some great properties, locations...

We had great time on the beach the other day.

I actually think Laurra hasn't thought about home too much this week.

In the morning I've been waking up and thinking,

"Maybe this is a good move. Maybe it is the right place to be."

But the thought of leaving family behind has left the Howes torn.

Seeing the videos of family back home really made me think,

am I doing the right thing?

I don't know, I'm still really confused on...

..the UK and...

All I know is that in the UK I've got my family.

I still think we could have an amazing life over here,

but the family would be a massive, massive issue for us both.

But definitely for Laurra.

Without her family, she's still struggling.

And you could see that.

It's a huge moment for Dave.

10 years of dreaming rests on the final turn of the cards.

-Australia.

-UK.

It's family. I'm sorry.

-I know.

-I just... I don't think I could be that far.

-I know. You enjoyed yourself, didn't you?

-We did.

-If the family were living over here...

-Yes!

-You'd live here then, wouldn't you?

-Yes!

Well done.

A lot has changed since Dave last came to Australia,

and even though part of its appeal still exists,

he's accepted his own life has moved on.

And while Laurra can see some of the advantages of the life down under,

for her, the pull of home is just too strong to resist.

The Australian dream might be over,

but their future together is still very, very strong.