Cleary Family Wanted Down Under

Parents want to give their children the best life possible but what if

you believe the right place for this is on the other side of the world?

Would you be prepared to uproot your child from everything

and everyone they know

and start afresh in a new country thousands of miles from home?

15-year-old Jordan has Asperger's, and mum, Tanya,

believes a move down under is the ticket to a better future for him.

I raised Jordan on my own.

It's been really hard and I want him to have good life opportunities.

The pair share an incredibly strong bond.

We are such a family, we are so tight together.

Tanya desperately wants the best for Jordan

but feels he's missing out in the UK.

He likes the outdoors, he loves his animals,

nine months of the year, Jordan's in his bedroom watching TV.

But Tanya worries taking Jordan away from everything

he knows may be too big a risk.

What do you find difficult about change?

Everything about it, really.

And there's the impact it will have on those who love him most.

I will miss you if you go.

But if it's the best thing for you, then

I can only wish you all the best.

Oh, no.

Australia's the number one location for Brits leaving

the UK in search of a better life.

The climate, outdoor living

and the chance to start afresh all add to the country's appeal.

But moving halfway around the globe isn't as easy as it seems

and it doesn't work for everybody, with many returning home,

their dreams shattered.

Tanya and Jordan have just one week to see whether Australia can offer

them the lifestyle they desperately want. When that week is up, they'll

be faced with a decision that could change their lives forever...

whether to stay in the UK or make a permanent move to Australia.

After three flights, 12,000 miles and more than 18 hours in the air,

Tanya and Jordan finally set foot in Perth for the first time.

Exhausted but happy.

It's a long way away, you don't realise

until you get here how long the fight is but we're excited, aren't we?

Yeah.

But it's good to be here now so we can really get to grips with that.

SHE LAUGHS

I'm sure I'm ready for the challenge.

SHE LAUGHS

Sorry!

You!

Ahead of them lies one of the biggest challenges they're ever

likely to face as well as a life-changing decision.

Back in the UK, the Clearys live in Hertfordshire.

Social worker, Tanya, has dreamt of a life down under for years.

Going to Australia is something that I've wanted to do for quite a long, long time.

My mum and dad travelled all around Australia when they were

younger and I was born in New Zealand and, you know, looking

at their pictures and all the things that they've done, I find it amazing.

15-year-old Jordan has Asperger's syndrome.

When he first started school, they picked up on...

Jordan was a little bit different from the other children

in that he needed one-to-one attention.

It affects his communication, understanding

and mainly social skill. I raised Jordan on my own.

It's been really hard. When he was younger he was really challenging.

But we've had a lot of family support in our lives.

I've had my mum and dad and my sister who's been a great help.

Stay focused. 'Mine and Jordan's relationship is quite strong.'

It's hard to describe really, because we love each other so much.

Even when we get in the worst fights and the worst time of year,

we just get over it and say "I love you" and stuff like that.

He's brilliant, Jordan, he's such a funny boy.

And he's very, very loving.

Both Tanya and Jordan love being outdoors.

Look at his hair, he's got like a hair style.

But find the weather in the UK a big let down.

Sometimes winter/autumn, it gets really boring.

Stuck in the house all day.

There's lots to do in Australia and not much to do here at the moment.

Look at that one, Jordan. Look.

When they can get out, Jordan's passionate about animals and nature.

-Tanya believes he would thrive in Australia.

-I love animals.

To me, it's something about them that seems more human.

Some kind of special bond between us.

His memory is so amazing, he's like an encyclopaedia

so he'll explore all about the animals in Australia.

Kangaroos, koalas, wombats, duckbilled platypus.

Frill-necked lizards, kookaburras emus, tiger snake, dingoes...

one of my favourites, dingoes.

Australia is more outside, it's more open, there's

a lot more job opportunities when he's older out there.

But Jordan's condition means a potential

move down under would be a massive undertaking.

It's quite a big move for Jordan, school,

and challenges are quite difficult for you, aren't they?

Yeah, my new favourite teacher won't be Karen

and my new best friend probably won't be George

and that's what I don't like about change.

And there's the thought of leaving behind the close

family network vital to them both.

Leaving my mum and dad and Jordan's grandparents

and grandad Ron behind is going to be very difficult.

And that's going to be the drawback.

But besides of them, we have to think about us

and our decisions, see how it goes.

-Yeah. See you later. You're at a good age now.

-Yeah.

So, it's too much to gain and nothing to lose.

Taking Jordan away from the stability of life in the UK is a big risk,

but both Jordan and Tanya are desperate to make the move to Australia.

but if they are to secure a better life,

the time has come to decide where their future lies.

The Clearys are spending their trial week in Mandurah,

once a small fishing village, it now boasts a population of 85,000

people making it a fully fledged satellite city of Perth.

The area prides itself on a mix of inner-city and semi-rural living.

Home for the week is this two-bedroom cottage.

Ooh!

This is a big bed.

It's got a nice vintage wardrobe.

SHE LAUGHS Yeah.

Very hollow floor.

It's quite similar to the other room, isn't it, in size?

-I don't know that I...

-What?

-..that I'm that keen on it, but it's OK.

What, you mean to say there are ghosts in here?

Woo hoo hoo.

A good-sized kitchen. I like the kitchen.

I think this is the best room in the house.

I'm disappointed with the garden. I thought there'd be a bit of lawn.

It's a nice shower.

-Oh! Oh, my God!

-What?

SHE GIGGLES

Stop it! What kind of spider is that?

-Oh, I've no idea.

-(I don't like spiders).

Oh, no, that looks more like a locust to me.

Oh. My eyeballs are going to be alert now.

Not quite the welcome they'd expected

but it hasn't dampened Jordan's spirits.

What I'm most looking forward to

doing in Australia is swimming, snorkelling, bird-watching.

This week's really important.

Because it gives us a good opportunity to find out what

lifestyle we can have in Australia.

My biggest concern really is for Jordan.

Because I want him to go to a school where he's accepted,

fits in and can do well.

We could have a better life, if we moved to Australia.

I feel sad leaving my family, my pets, my teachers,

school and my friends behind.

He'd find it more difficult than other children to

settle in but that's something that I'm aware of

and we'll know how to deal with it at the time

so even though it's a concern... we'll manage it together.

I just need to have a look for potential spiders.

Don't you mean locusts, Tanya?

Back in the UK, the Clearys live in this three-bedroom

detached house in Hertfordshire.

It's a good place to live, it's got good links to London,

it's got lots of local schools, so it's been good for Jordan.

We've lived here for nine years now.

And...it's cosy really, nice and warm atmosphere to it.

They hope to have a budget of around £300,000 to spend in Australia

so what do they want for their money?

The kind of house I would like would be a large house with a large

garden and more room for my animals to run in.

The place that I'd like in Australia is a house

possibly in the suburbs, about a 30 minute commute into the city.

Three-bedroomed property with a large garden.

Today we are giving Tanya

and Jordan a taste of the Perth property market.

After seeing three possible options they'll find out what each one costs.

The first property is in the Lakelands area,

just ten minutes north of Mandurah city centre

and 50 minutes from Perth.

Its close proximity to beautiful beaches and parks

means it should be perfect for Jordan.

-Wow!

-Nice, isn't it?

-Yeah.

-Oh, look! It's a bedroom.

Yeah. This is what I call a bedroom.

-Nice en-suite, isn't it?

-Wow!

-Jordan, look, a walk-in wardrobe.

-Wow! That's cool.

There's nice big windows as well, Jordan, isn't there?

At home, the windows in our bedrooms are quite small.

-I think I'd be having this room.

-Of course!

I like the walk-in wardrobe, especially.

Wow! This is one funky living room.

I like it, it's a nice size.

Bit dark. Isn't it?

-Dark colours.

-Yes.

And small windows.

I'm not too keen on that view because there is another property quite close by.

Not as attractive, the view.

-So this must be another bedroom.

-Yeah.

Oh, I thought it was going to be a bathroom then.

-It's a really big room, isn't it?

-Yeah, I like it.

When you look at it on this sort of level.

Another house on your left which is quite close as well.

I'd rather be not overlooked at all.

But it's something that I'd have to, maybe, compromise about.

Tanya's not completely sold on this one yet.

But will the garden make a difference?

Is that fake grass?

We want to have animals over here

so that might be a little bit unhygienic.

It's not a bad sized garden. It's just quite a funny shape, isn't it?

-Yeah. I like the garden.

-I like the garden because it's low-maintenance.

But if it meets our needs, I don't know.

If I moved into this home then there'd be very little that

I would change because I quite like the decor and the way it is.

But Jordan's more picky than Mum.

Most of the rooms I don't like because of their design

but I would change it with more of my design, really.

-Just more brightness and more colours.

-That's OK, though.

Making it more attractive.

So this house with two times the size of the garden would be really good, wouldn't it?

-Yeah.

-That would be perfect.

Even if it's not quite satisfying the Clearys' high expectations,

this house has some potential.

But with Tanya's budget of £300,000, could they afford it?

Let's see how much it's worth.

-Oh, my God.

-Wow.

-Yeah. It's really, really good.

-That's cheap.

-That's a lot of house for not a lot of money.

-No.

A lot cheaper than I was expecting. I'm happy with that.

Buoyed up by the thought of what their budget could get them,

the Clearys move on to property number two.

Located in the much sought-after area of Old Halls Head,

it has a very rural feel to it despite being just minutes

away from the city centre.

It's also close to a specialist school which is a big plus for Tanya.

-It's nice, isn't it?

-Yeah.

-Open plan again.

-Yeah.

-I like this.

-I like the kitchen.

-It's a little bit more square, which I quite like.

It's got very nice windows into the garden.

Compared to our house in England, I prefer the outlay of this home.

Yeah, I like this house.

It's much smaller, more compact.

-Yeah.

-If you know what I mean.

-This would make a good office.

-Yeah.

I'd turn this into a little natural history museum.

-So, oh...

-A downstairs bathroom.

-I like this bathroom.

-Yeah?

-It's quite interesting that the toilet's on its own.

-Yeah.

-Isn't it?

So far, so good. But what about upstairs?

-This is nice.

-Yeah, I like this one.

This is like, somewhere where, if I become more of a grown man,

I can have parties up here.

You know, like, because there's a TV here.

I don't think you'll be having many parties, Jordan.

You can have some parties which are adult supervised. Yeah.

This one would be used as a good bird-watching tower.

Yes, this is my room. I picked it.

-This is quite a good sized bedroom.

-Yeah, this is a nice bedroom.

-Little bit bigger than a double.

-I think you'll have this one.

Look at the flip-flops on the wall!

Nice and green around here, isn't it? There's lots of trees.

It's quite a pretty picture.

Will the garden be an improvement over the last property?

This is much more what I would like in my back garden.

So, nice bit of dining area and then a bit more space in the garden.

-I personally love this garden.

-Yeah.

-It's like a little nature reserve.

-It's nice...

-Look at all these beautiful trees. Plants.

Nice and secluded so you're not overlooked by any neighbours.

-It's very relaxing.

-Yeah.

It's big enough to have a hutch full of rabbits or guinea pigs.

-We could have a dog here, couldn't we.

-Yeah.

Big enough to have a dog and a cat.

What's that? Oh!

-God, it's huge, isn't it?

-Wow.

-It's like a big shed, isn't it?

And if I wanted to turn a large space into something,

it would be a natural history museum.

On a scale of one to ten, like, this house feels like an eight to me.

-Me? Ten.

-You like it?

-Yeah.

-Yeah.

Looks like this house is a big hit.

They both love the garden and with plenty of room for family to visit,

it could be somewhere to call home.

But will they be able to afford it on their £300,000 budget?

-Shall we see how much it is?

-Yeah.

Oh! That's really good.

-That's really, really good value for money, isn't it?

-Yeah.

So if we were to come to Australia and have a house like this,

-would you be happy?

-Yeah.

I'd be really happy because it meets more than my expectations.

It might be £30,000 over budget

but things are definitely swinging in favour of this house.

The final property is in the residential suburb of Baldivis,

halfway between Perth and Mandurah

and brilliantly located for work opportunities in either city.

Oh!

-A good sized bedroom.

-Not bad.

-En-suite.

-That's a good bathroom.

-Yeah.

It's a very long hallway, isn't it? Quite nice, though. Quite bright.

-Pretty good sized room again, isn't it?

-Yeah. Very good sized room.

Would you be happy with a room this size if we were to live here?

-Nah, needs to be bigger.

-You'd like a bigger bedroom.

OK, let's go and have a look at somewhere else.

-Is this the main bathroom do you think?

-Erm, could be.

If it is the main bathroom it would be quite a small bathroom for a main bathroom.

I don't like this bathroom.

-Why don't you like it?

-It's too crowded.

-Yeah.

Separate toilet again.

Aw, birdie.

This is quite nice, isn't it? Quite big.

-Again, it's open planned.

-I like this living room.

-It feels homey to me which makes me feel more comfortable.

-Yes.

It's got a nice feel to it, hasn't it?

-He's so cute.

-Hello.

-He's a very pretty colour, isn't he?

-Yeah.

I don't like the kitchen. It's quite small and basic.

And it's definitely not my colour either - brown. Not for me.

What about the all-important outside area?

-Yeah, I don't like it.

-I don't like the garden.

The fact that people can see what you're doing in your back garden.

It's too open, isn't it, Jordan?

I want to get to know my neighbours

but I think you should also have some privacy.

OK, so if we came to Australia to live in here,

how would you feel about this house?

I wouldn't like living in this house alone with people always

knowing what you're doing, and you always know what people are doing.

-You'll have a good view of each other.

-Yeah.

It's not, erm...sort of the house I'd like to move into.

Somewhere where I've got a bigger garden and a bit more space.

-It's important, isn't it?

-I actually prefer our home, actually.

-Yeah.

This property might not be their dream house

but could the price make it more attractive?

OK, Jordan, turn the card over.

Oh!

-It's quite a reasonable price considering it's a little bit closer to Perth city.

-Yeah.

I wouldn't pay that price for this house because it's not the house that I want.

-I thought it would be more expensive, though.

-Mm.

It's affordable but just not the home they had in mind.

It's been a day of mixed results on the property front.

The first house made a good impression

but the fake grass let it down.

Property number two definitely had the wow-factor with a big garden

and even the potential for a small natural history museum.

The final property felt too exposed

but did represent good value for money.

So overall, what did Jordan and Tanya think?

Based on our experience of Australian property we are voting for...

BOTH: Australia!

One of my biggest fears of moving to Australia

was houses and prices and affordability.

But now, obviously, I've seen for myself I can afford it.

It's something positive and hopefully we can move forward with that.

Houses were good and the streets were good.

In a way, I can imagine me and my mum living in them.

I think he's preferred the houses, like,

the majority of the houses we've seen to his home in England.

I'm pleased that he's happy and he likes them.

Aussie homes have got a thumbs up from Jordan and Tanya.

But their plans for a life Down Under could yet come to nothing

if Tanya can't find the right work opportunities.

Back in the UK, she's a qualified social worker.

I enjoy the role that I do.

I find it very interesting, really challenging

and I enjoy the fact that you're out in the community.

My job over in Australia is in high demand at the moment.

Their policies and laws are quite similar to that of the UK

which makes it easier for me to go out, I think,

and practise in a different country.

We arranged for Tanya to spend time at a local child protection unit

to see if the job market could match her expectations.

And what about the big question of wages?

Salary's very important.

Obviously, I'm on my own with Jordan so it's one income.

I would expect my salary to start from about 55,000

up to 79,000 Australian dollars.

Hi.

Deborah Gould, district director of the unit, shows Tanya around.

This is the metro for the Department of Child Protection.

-This is Joondalup, so that's our boundaries.

-OK.

Each of these areas are assigned to teams,

children in care teams.

It's quite a big office, isn't it?

-Hello, Jordan.

-Hiya.

Meanwhile, Jordan's off to explore his future career prospects

at an animal rescue centre where he's met by Lizzie.

-You become part of our team today.

-Thanks.

-You're welcome. Pop through there.

I'd like to introduce you to one of WA's brushtail possums.

Very cute but very common also.

This little guy was caught in one of our recent fires

in the northern suburbs and, unfortunately, he's got some burnt feet

so that's what we've been doing with him, we've been looking after his feet for him.

So when he gets better,

can we release him into the wild or is he going to stay here?

That's the goal. We're hoping that after the fire and the green starts back,

-he'll go back as well.

-That's good.

This is one of our native owls. This is a barn owl.

He's underfed so we've just fed him up a bit

and we're going to put him in a bigger aviary.

-That'll help with his wingspan, stretch his wings.

-Yes.

They love that, birds. The bigger the aviary, the happier they'll be.

You're going to get on really well here.

It's joey feeding time.

We're going to give you a bottle, Jordan, see if you can feed

one of our joeys, and you can see they're absolutely starving.

OK. There we go.

-Perfect, Jordan.

-Aw, he's so cute.

Being with the animals was an absolute pleasure

because I absolutely love them.

Jordan's special bond with animals is certainly working with these little guys.

It would be a dream come true for me to work here with animals.

Well, that's Jordan sold.

But how's Tanya getting on?

You've looked at my CV. Do you think I'm an employable candidate?

I certainly would think that you're very employable so...

You've got the correct qualifications,

you've got the experience.

I think that's the beauty of social work, is that you can practise

social work in most countries. There's so much similarities.

What would my salary be?

The salary starts at about just over 60,000 dollars.

That goes to about 82, just over 82,000 dollars.

When I work in England, we have very high case loads.

I tend to work quite long hours so I work after hours at home.

What's the general theme for the social workers here?

Eight until five, Monday to Friday.

I wouldn't expect you to take work home with you.

We don't want you to burn out and we want you to have a life.

-Yeah, that's good to hear.

-That's what it's about.

-Yeah.

It's been a really encouraging visit for Tanya.

'I learned today that the salary I'd get here would be £20,000 more'

than in the UK which is absolutely brilliant.

Gives me the opportunity to come here,

start the lifestyle that I want for myself and Jordan.

It's really good news. I'm really, really happy about it.

Based on my work experience today I'm going to be voting for...

Australia.

Tanya's earning potential has given a massive boost

to her dream of a new life Down Under.

But the move is about more than just money.

She wants to improve the quality of life for herself and Jordan

and believes the Australian lifestyle is the key to achieving that.

Tanya and Jordan love spending time together outdoors.

Today, they are off to explore Yanchep National Park.

It's a beautiful colour, isn't it?

'I'm enjoying spending time with Mum at the park.'

It is a beautiful day, boiling hot, of course.

It's filled with beautiful green plants and trees

and beautiful birds.

'For Jordan, being here, it's a great opportunity for him to see the wildlife.'

I couldn't ask for anything more, really.

-Can you see him close up?

-Yeah.

He's so beautiful.

I would encourage Jordan to be outside more if we came to Australia.

I think, because he has such a love for animals,

there's more opportunity for him.

When we've been bird watching in the UK, we do it quickly.

Here, because it is so warm and bright, we can spend time.

This is what it's all about.

If I did move to Australia I would come here

probably nearly every weekend.

It would be awesome living in this country.

-Are you going to try and..?

-There it is.

I don't feel there's anything holding me back at the moment from the move.

Obviously, family, I won't see them as much,

which would be a disadvantage.

So far being in Australia I haven't missed anything from home.

I have been thinking about my friends,

my family but I'm having too much fun!

With the Australian lifestyle living up to its reputation,

will it be another clean sweep when it comes to a vote?

Based on our lifestyle experience today we are going to be voting for...

BOTH: Australia!

A future life in Australia looks more and more likely.

But getting the right price for Tanya's home in the UK

will be essential if the Clearys are to realise their dream.

Tanya thinks their house is worth £350,000.

Will two local estate agents agree?

First impressions, nice modern feel.

Laminate flooring. Very welcoming.

Yeah.

This is a nice, bright room.

It's a good size for a lounge.

It's not too cluttered.

-'This is very nice.'

-It's quite pretty.

'Nice, modern kitchen. Fantastic for a young family.

'Room for all your appliances in the kitchen. Very nice.'

This is a good-sized garden.

Slightly larger than the average gardens around here.

It's a good width.

'This is the second bedroom.

'It's the second largest room.

'It's just about a double room, you can get a double bed in here.'

Here we have the family bathroom.

It's not a particularly big bathroom but it's all here,

bath, wash hand basin, toilet. There is a shower attachment...

Oh, my God. That is so cringey.

This is the main bedroom.

It's not a bad size. Room for a good double bed, wardrobes.

Fitted wardrobes here. This property is in a very popular commuter area.

In the present market conditions I would finally this property

at £350,000, and for a quick sale at £340,000.

It is a very sought after area.

It attracts a lot of people who are coming out of London.

Still want to be within easy reach of their jobs in the city.

In the current market conditions,

I would recommend an asking price of £330,000.

For a quick sale, £310,000.

Was the value what you expected, Mum?

It is from the first estate agent.

With the current condition it's in,

I think it can go a little bit more once it's had some work done to it.

Sounds promising. What about the price of everyday living?

We've provided a comparison of cost so they can do the sums.

These are our weekly shopping, and these are what we pay in England

on this column, and this is what we will pay if we live in Australia.

The cheese is a little bit more expensive in Australia.

Yeah, the bread is more expensive in Australia as well.

Are you ready with the calculator? Milk. £5.61.

Bag of potatoes, £2.50.

-£84.26 pence.

-That is the total for the English weekly shop.

£103.92 pence.

The Australian total is more.

That is just a bit more expensive.

So property value in the UK,

my house has been valued at £350,000.

Our dream home that we've seen in Australia is valued at 330,000.

However, in Australia, even though we have a smaller mortgage,

the interest rates are higher so the repayments each month

would be £1,130. It's actually a significant amount more.

That's a substantial increase.

But could Tanya's Australian wages help out?

I think we can afford it because my salary would be higher.

So, like, in England my salary

that I work at the moment is £31,625.

But in Australia my salary would be 49,000.

We will be £1,110 per month

better off living in Australia.

-That's good.

-That's brilliant, isn't it?

So that would be £13,320

better off per year living in Australia.

I'm very surprised about how big that figure is.

It's really good.

But for us to come out and be on that salary,

we know we can do it and have a comfortable life in Australia.

It is a great result for the Clearys.

Based on the cost of living, we're going to be voting for...

BOTH: Australia!

Financially at least it is a done deal.

One more high-five. Let's go.

On paper, Tania may have figured out how to afford the dream life Down Under.

But there are other issues to be resolved before the big decision.

In the UK, Jordan has had a problematic time at school

because there's been a lack of educational facilities available to him.

One of my worries would be Jordan going to a school where, obviously,

it's going to be different, there's going to be a lot of change.

I won't have the family support,

it's just going to be me and Jordan in Australia.

It's important for me to get school right.

If I found out there was no educational facilities in Australia

that would meet Jordan's needs, then I would have to reconsider.

Education is important, he needs to continue

and I want him to have good life opportunities.

We have arranged for Tanya and Jordan to meet the McTeer family

who moved to Australia from the UK ten years ago.

Their son, Fraser, and his friend, Jake,

are also on the autistic spectrum.

-You must be Jordan.

-Yes, I am.

-Good lad.

-Hi, Jordan, I'm Tracy.

-Hi, Tracy.

Life in Australia, obviously, it is much hotter than England.

Can the McTeers' own experience lay Tanya's concerns to rest?

The local public high school actually has an autism extension programme

that's attached to the high school.

It is like a separate unit that Fraser can go in and Jake,

-and do social skills.

-That's really good.

In England, we haven't got that.

They either go to a mainstream school or they go to a special needs school.

Jordan has had so much problems

because he doesn't fit into either school.

That is where these extension units are really, really good.

They can go to the mainstream classrooms

and if they are starting to struggle a bit they can bail and go back to the homeroom.

It's run by people that really understand autism

which is a really big help.

What have you experienced so far being in Australia?

I've experienced a lot of wildlife.

I went to work for a day in this animal rescue centre

-because I like animals.

-Oh, nice.

Jordan, do you think there's anything you may

miss from the UK by moving here?

I do miss my family and my friends.

With your family being in the UK,

because my family's still there,

you talk to them but you kind of like get used to it.

It says, "Miranda, I love you. Will you marry me?"

Oh, that is so adorable!

I think I'll do that when I get married.

If you moved to Australia would you marry an Australian woman?

Yeah, definitely. They're much more attractive than our British women!

After seeing three possible options they'll find out what each one costs.

The first property is in the Lakelands area,

just ten minutes north of Mandurah city centre

and 50 minutes from Perth.

Its close proximity to beautiful beaches and parks

means it should be perfect for Jordan.

-Wow!

-Nice, isn't it?

-Yeah.

-Oh, look! It's a bedroom.

Yeah. This is what I call a bedroom.

-Nice en-suite, isn't it?

-Wow!

-Jordan, look, a walk-in wardrobe.

-Wow! That's cool.

There's nice big windows as well, Jordan, isn't there?

At home, the windows in our bedrooms are quite small.

-I think I'd be having this room.

-Of course!

I like the walk-in wardrobe, especially.

Wow! This is one funky living room.

I like it, it's a nice size.

Bit dark. Isn't it?

-Dark colours.

-Yes.

And small windows.

I'm not too keen on that view because there is another property quite close by.

Not as attractive, the view.

-So this must be another bedroom.

-Yeah.

Oh, I thought it was going to be a bathroom then.

-It's a really big room, isn't it?

-Yeah, I like it.

When you look at it on this sort of level.

Another house on your left which is quite close as well.

I'd rather be not overlooked at all.

But it's something that I'd have to, maybe, compromise about.

Tanya's not completely sold on this one yet.

But will the garden make a difference?

Is that fake grass?

We want to have animals over here

so that might be a little bit unhygienic.

It's not a bad sized garden. It's just quite a funny shape, isn't it?

-Yeah. I like the garden.

-I like the garden because it's low-maintenance.

But if it meets our needs, I don't know.

If I moved into this home then there'd be very little that

I would change because I quite like the decor and the way it is.

But Jordan's more picky than Mum.

Most of the rooms I don't like because of their design

but I would change it with more of my design, really.

-Just more brightness and more colours.

-That's OK, though.

Making it more attractive.

So this house with two-times the size of the garden would be really good, wouldn't it?

-Yeah.

-That would be perfect.

Even if it's not quite satisfying the Clearys high expectations,

this house has some potential.

But with Tanya's budget of £300,000, could they afford it?

Let's see how much it's worth.

-Oh, my God.

-Wow.

-Yeah. It's really, really good.

-That's cheap.

-That's a lot of house for not a lot of money.

-No.

A lot cheaper than I was expecting. I'm happy with that.

Buoyed up by the thought of what their budget could get them,

the Clearys move on to property number two.

Located in the much sought-after area of Old Halls Head,

it has a very rural feel to it despite being just minutes

away from the city centre.

It's also close to a specialist school which is a big plus for Tanya.

-It's nice, isn't it?

-Yeah.

-Open plan again.

-Yeah.

-I like this.

-I like the kitchen.

-It's a little bit more square, which I quite like.

It's got very nice windows in to the garden.

Compared to our house in England, I prefer the outlay of this home.

Yeah, I like this house.

It's much smaller, more compact.

-Yeah.

-If you know what I mean.

-This would make a good office.

-Yeah.

I'd turn this into a little natural history museum.

-So, oh...

-A downstairs bathroom.

-I like this bathroom.

-Yeah?

-It's quite interesting that the toilet's on its own.

-Yeah.

-Isn't it?

So far, so good. But what about upstairs?

-This is nice.

-Yeah, I like this one.

This is like, somewhere where, if I become more of a grown man,

I can have parties up here.

You know, like, because there's a TV here.

I don't think you'll be having many parties, Jordan.

You can have some parties which are adult supervised. Yeah.

This one would be used as a good bird-watching tower.

Yes, this is my room. I picked it.

-This is quite a good sized bedroom.

-Yeah, this is a nice bedroom.

-Little bit bigger than a double.

-I think you'll have this one.

Look at the flip-flops on the wall!

Nice and green around here, isn't it? There's lots of trees.

It's quite a pretty picture.

Will the garden be an improvement over the last property?

This is much more what I would like in my back garden.

So, nice bit of dining area and then a bit more space in the garden.

-I personally love this garden.

-Yeah.

-It's like a little nature reserve.

-It's nice...

-Look at all these beautiful trees. Plants.

Nice and secluded so you're not overlooked by any neighbours.

-It's very relaxing.

-Yeah.

It's big enough to have a hutch full of rabbits or guinea pigs.

-We could have a dog here, couldn't we.

-Yeah.

Big enough to have a dog and a cat.

What's that? Oh!

-God, it's huge, isn't it?

-Wow.

-It's like a big shed, isn't it?

And if I wanted to turn a large space into something,

it would be a natural history museum.

On a scale of one to ten, like, this house feels like an eight to me.

-Me? Ten.

-You like it?

-Yeah.

-Yeah.

Looks like this house is a big hit.

They both love the garden and with plenty of room for family to visit,

it could be somewhere to call home.

But will they be able to afford it on their £300,000 budget?

-Shall we see how much it is?

-Yeah.

Oh! That's really good.

-That's really, really good value for money, isn't it?

-Yeah.

So if we were to come to Australia and have a house like this,

-would you be happy?

-Yeah.

I'd be really happy because it meets more than my expectations.

It might be £30,000 over budget

but things are definitely swinging in favour of this house.

The final property is in the residential suburb of Baldivis,

halfway between Perth and Mandurah

and brilliantly located for work opportunities in either city.

Oh!

-A good sized bedroom.

-Not bad.

-En-suite.

-That's a good bathroom.

-Yeah.

It's a very long hallway, isn't it? Quite nice though. Quite bright.

-Pretty good sized room again, isn't it?

-Yeah. Very good sized room.

Would you be happy with a room this size if we were to live here?

-Nah, needs to be bigger.

-You'd like a bigger bedroom.

OK, let's go and have a look at somewhere else.

-Is this the main bathroom do you think?

-Erm, could be.

If it is the main bathroom it would be quite a small bathroom for a main bathroom.

I don't like this bathroom.

-Why don't you like it?

-It's too crowded.

-Yeah.

Separate toilet again.

Aw, birdie.

This is quite nice, isn't it? Quite big.

-Again, it's open planned.

-I like this living room.

-It feels homey to me which makes me feel more comfortable.

-Yes.

It's got a nice feel to it, hasn't it?

-He's so cute.

-Hello.

-He's a very pretty colour, isn't he?

-Yeah.

I don't like the kitchen. It's quite small and basic.

And it's definitely not my colour either - brown. Not for me.

What about the all-important outside area?

-Yeah, I don't like it.

-I don't like the garden.

The fact that people can see what you're doing in your back garden.

It's too open, isn't it, Jordan?

I want to get to know my neighbours

but I think you should also have some privacy.

OK, so if we came to Australia to live in here,

how would you feel about this house?

I wouldn't like living in this house alone with people always

knowing what you're doing, and you always know what people are doing.

-You'll have a good view of each other.

-Yeah.

It's not, erm...sort of the house I'd like to move into.

Somewhere where I've got a bigger garden and a bit more space.

-It's important, isn't it?

-I actually prefer our home, actually.

-Yeah.

This property might not be their dream house

but could the price make it more attractive?

OK, Jordan, turn the card over.

Oh!

-It's quite a reasonable price considering it's a little bit closer to Perth city.

-Yeah.

I wouldn't pay that price for this house because it's not the house that I want.

-I thought it would be more expensive, though.

-Mm.

It's affordable but just not the home they had in mind.

It's been a day of mixed results on the property front.

The first house made a good impression

but the fake grass let it down.

Property number two definitely had the wow-factor with a big garden

and even the potential for a small natural history museum.

The final property felt too exposed

but did represent good value for money.

So overall, what did Jordan and Tanya think?

Based on our experience of Australian property we are voting for...

BOTH: Australia!

One of my biggest fears of moving to Australia

was houses and prices and affordability.

But now, obviously, I've seen for myself I can afford it.

It's something positive and hopefully we can move forward with that.

Houses were good and the streets were good.

In a way, I can imagine me and my mum living in them.

I think he's preferred the houses, like,

the majority of the houses we've seen to his home in England.

I'm pleased that he's happy and he likes them.

Aussie homes have got a thumbs up from Jordan and Tanya.

But their plans for a life Down Under could yet come to nothing

if Tanya can't find the right work opportunities.

Back in the UK, she's a qualified social worker.

I enjoy the role that I do.

I find it very interesting, really challenging

and I enjoy the fact that you're out in the community.

My job over in Australia is in high demand at the moment.

Their policies and laws are quite similar to that of the UK

which makes it easier for me to go out, I think,

and practise in a different country.

We arranged for Tanya to spend time at a local child protection unit

to see of the job market could match her expectations.

And what about the big question of wages?

Salary's very important.

Obviously, I'm on my own with Jordan so it's one income.

I would expect my salary to start from about 55,000

up to 79,000 Australian dollars.

Hi.

Deborah Gould, district director of the unit, shows Tanya around.

This is the metro for the Department of Child Protection.

-This is Joondalup, so that's our boundaries.

-OK.

Each of these areas are assigned to teams,

children in care teams.

It's quite a big office, isn't it?

-Hello, Jordan.

-Hiya.

Meanwhile, Jordan's off to explore his future career prospects

at an animal rescue centre where he's met by Lizzie.

-..You become part of our team today.

-Thanks.

-You're welcome. Pop through there.

I'd like to introduce you to one of WA's brushtail possums.

Very cute but very common also.

This little guy was caught in one of our recent fires

in the northern suburbs and, unfortunately, he's got some burnt feet

so that's what we've been doing with him, we've been looking after his feet for him.

So when he gets better,

can we release him into the wild or is he going to stay here?

That's the goal. We're hoping that after the fire and the green starts back,

-he'll go back as well.

-That's good.

This is one of our native owls. This is a barn owl.

He's underfed so we've just fed him up a bit

and we're going to put him in a bigger aviary.

-That'll help with his wingspan, stretch his wings.

-Yes.

They love that, birds. The bigger the aviary, the happier they'll be.

You're going to get on really well here.

It's joey feeding time.

We're going to give you a bottle, Jordan, see if you can feed

one of our joeys, and you can see they're absolutely starving.

OK. There we go.

-Perfect, Jordan.

-Aw, he's so cute.

Being with the animals was an absolute pleasure

because I absolutely love them.

Jordan's special bond with animals is certainly working with these little guys.

It would be a dream come true for me to work here with animals.

Well, that's Jordan sold.

But how's Tanya getting on?

You've looked at my CV. Do you think I'm an employable candidate?

I certainly would think that you're very employable so...

You've got the correct qualifications,

you've got the experience.

I think that's the beauty of social work, is that you can practise

social work in most countries. There's so much similarities.

What would my salary be?

The salary starts at about just over 60,000 dollars.

That goes to about 82, just over 82,000 dollars.

When I work in England, we have very high case loads.

I tend to work quite long hours so I work after hours at home.

What's the general theme for the social workers here?

Eight until five, Monday to Friday.

I wouldn't expect you to take work home with you.

We don't want you to burn out and we want you to have a life.

-Yeah, that's good to hear.

-That's what it's about.

-Yeah.

It's been a really encouraging visit for Tanya.

'I learned today that the salary I'd get here would be £20,000 more'

than in the UK which is absolutely brilliant.

Gives me the opportunity to come here,

start the lifestyle that I want for myself and Jordan.

It's really good news. I'm really, really happy about it.

Based on my work experience today I'm going to be voting for...

Australia.

Tanya's earning potential has given a massive boost

to her dream of a new life Down Under.

But the move is about more than just money.

She wants to improve the quality of life for herself and Jordan

and believes the Australian lifestyle is the key to achieving that.

Tanya and Jordan love spending time together outdoors.

Today, they are off to explore Yanchep National Park.

It's a beautiful colour, isn't it?

'I'm enjoying spending time with Mum at the park.'

It is a beautiful day, boiling hot, of course.

It's filled with beautiful green plants and trees

and beautiful birds.

'For Jordan, being here it's a great opportunity for him to see the wildlife.'

I couldn't ask for anything more, really.

-Can you see him close up?

-Yeah.

He's so beautiful.

I would encourage Jordan to be outside more if we came to Australia.

I think, because he has such a love for animals,

there's more opportunity for him.

When we've been bird watching in the UK we do it quickly.

Here, because it is so warm and bright, we can spend time.

This is what it's all about.

If I did move to Australia I would come here

probably nearly every weekend.

It would be awesome living in this country.

-Are you going to try and..?

-There it is.

I don't feel there's anything holding me back at the moment from the move.

Obviously, family I won't see them as much

which would be a disadvantage.

So far being in Australia I haven't missed anything from home.

I have been thinking about my friends,

my family but I'm having, too much fun!

With the Australian lifestyle living up to its reputation,

will it be another clean sweep when it comes to a vote?

Based on our lifestyle experience today we are going to be voting for...

BOTH: Australia!

A future life in Australia looks more and more likely.

But getting the right price for Tanya's home in the UK

will be essential if the Clearys are to realise their dream.

Tanya thinks their house is worth £350,000.

Will two local estate agents agree?

First impressions, nice modern feel.

Laminate flooring. Very welcoming.

Yeah.

'This is a nice, bright room.

'It's a good size for a lounge.

'It's not too cluttered.'

-'This is very nice.'

-It's quite pretty.

'Nice, modern kitchen. Fantastic for a young family.

'Room for all your appliances in the kitchen. Very nice.'

This is a good-sized garden.

'Slightly larger than the average gardens around here.

'It's a good width.'

'This is the second bedroom.

'It's the second largest room.

'It's just about a double room, you can get a double bed in here.'

Here we have the family bathroom.

It's not a particularly big bathroom but it's all here,

bath, wash hand basin, toilet. There is a shower attachment...

Oh, my God. That is so cringey.

This is the main bedroom.

It's not a bad size. Room for a good double bed, wardrobes.

Fitted wardrobes here. This property is in a very popular commuter area.

In the present market conditions I would finally this property

at £350,000, and for a quick sale at £340,000.

It is a very sought after area.

It attracts a lot of people who are coming out of London.

Still want to be within easy reach of their jobs in the city.

In the current market conditions,

I would recommend an asking price of £330,000.

For a quick sale, £310,000.

Was the value what you expected, Mum?

It is from the first estate agent.

With the current condition it's in,

I think it can go a little bit more once it's had some work done to it.

Sounds promising. What about the price of everyday living?

We've provided a comparison of cost that they can do the sums.

These are our weekly shopping, and these are what we pay in England

on this column, and this is what we will pay if we live in Australia.

The cheese is a little bit more expensive in Australia.

Yeah, the bread is more expensive in Australia as well.

Are you ready with the calculator? Milk. £5.61.

Bag of potatoes, £2.50.

-£84.26 pence.

-That is the total for the English weekly shop.

£103.92 pence.

The Australian total is more.

That is just a bit more expensive.

So property value in the UK,

my house has been valued at £350,000.

Our dream home that we've seen in Australia is valued at 330,000.

However, in Australia, even though we have a smaller mortgage,

the interest rates are higher so the repayments each month

would be £1,130. It's actually a significant amount more.

That's a substantial increase.

But could Tanya's Australian wages help out?

I think we can afford it because my salary would be higher.

So, like, in England my salary

that I work at the moment is £31,625.

But in Australia my salary would be 49,000.

We will be £1,110 per month

better off living in Australia.

-That's good.

-That's brilliant, isn't it?

So that would be £13,320

better off per year living in Australia.

I'm very surprised about how big that figure is.

It's really good.

But for us to come out and bill on that salary,

we know we can do it and have a comfortable life in Australia.

It is a great result for the Clearys.

Based on the cost of living, we're going to be voting for...

BOTH: Australia!

Financially at least it is a done deal.

One more high-five. Let's go.

On paper, Tania may have figured out how to afford the dream life Down Under.

But there are other issues to be resolved before the big decision.

In the UK, Jordan has had a problematic time at school

because there's been a lack of educational facilities available to him.

One of my worries would be Jordan going to a school where, obviously,

it's going to be different, there's going to be a lot of change.

I won't have the family support,

it's just going to be me and Jordan in Australia.

It's important for me to get school right.

If I found out there was no educational facilities in Australia

that would meet Jordan's needs, then I would have to reconsider.

Education is important, he needs to continue

and I want him to have good life opportunities.

We have arranged for Tanya and Jordan to meet the McTeer family

who moved to Australia from the UK ten years ago.

Their son, Fraser, and his friend, Jake,

are also on the autistic spectrum.

-You must be Jordan.

-Yes, I am.

-Good lad.

-Hi, Jordan, I'm Tracy.

-Hi, Tracy.

Life in Australia, obviously, it is much hotter than England.

Can the McTeers' own experience lay Tanya's concerns to rest?

The local public high school actually has an autism extension programme

that's attached to the high school.

It is like a separate unit that Fraser can go in and Jake,

-and do social skills.

-That's really good.

In England, we haven't got that.

They either go to a mainstream school or they go to a special needs school.

Jordan has had so much problems

because he doesn't fit into either school.

That is where these extension units are really, really good.

They can go to the mainstream classrooms

and if they are starting to struggle a bit they can bail and go back to the homeroom.

It's run by people that really understand autism

which is a really big help.

What have you experienced so far being in Australia?

I've experienced a lot of wildlife.

I went to work for a day in this animal rescue centre

-because I like animals.

-Oh, nice.

Jordan, do you think there's anything you may

miss from the UK by moving here?

I do miss my family and my friends.

With your family being in the UK,

because my family's still there,

you talk to them but you kind of like get used to it.

It says, "Miranda, I love you. Will you marry me?"

Oh, that is so adorable!

I think I'll do that when I get married.

If you moved to Australia would you marry an Australian woman?

Yeah, definitely. They're much more attractive than our British women!

Australia seems to be winning hands-down on all fronts.

But there's still one obstacle left to overcome.

And it's probably the hardest of all.

As Tanya and Jordan settle down to watch a DVD

of messages from family and friends,

the reality of leaving loved ones behind is about to hit home.

Hi, Tans. Hi, Jord. Hope you're having a lovely time in Australia.

Hi, Tanya. Hi, Jordan. Hope you've had an amazing week and it's been

everything you hoped it would be.

BOTH: Hi, Jordan.

BOTH: Hi, Tanya.

Hello, Jordan. I hope you're having a wonderful time.

Hello, Tanya. Hello, Jordan.

I hope you're nice and warm in Australia.

It's freezing here. We do envy you.

Tanya is one the most hard-working people I know.

She's also very strong minded.

And she's a wonderful mother to Jordan.

Of course.

If Jordan goes, that's really going to be hard.

Billy's going to miss you, isn't he?

He is adorable. We love him.

And we really will miss him.

I laugh with him.

And we play together nicely.

TANYA LAUGHS

I don't want them to go because it's a long way.

And I won't be able to pop in and see Jordan.

If it makes them happy,

I think their move to Australia would be wonderful for them.

I would miss Jordan...

But, you know, I'm not going to be around for many more years.

BOTH: Aw.

I'm pushing 70 now.

If that what makes it tick for them, good.

Jordan, you're going to be sadly missed here.

We're going to miss your antics and misbehaviour,

which is you all over. I hope you do well out there.

We're sorely going to miss you, mate.

All I'm hoping for is great things for you and Jordan.

I know you will succeed in Australia...

Because you're both strong enough to do it.

If it makes you happy and it's the best for you,

then I wish you all the luck.

Um...

-Aw!

-Oh, no. He's not crying, is he?

HE SNIFFLES

I will miss you if you go.

But if it's the best thing for you,

then I can only wish you all the best. Bye.

He's crying.

Bless him.

-That was not fair on Granddad.

-Yeah, it was sad, wasn't it.

Yeah. I didn't like seeing him cry. Never saw him do that before.

Yeah.

How does it make you feel seeing that?

-I really want to see them all again after watching that.

-Hmm.

-Kind of miss home now.

-Do you?

-Yeah.

Watching that,

I understand how my family and friends are going to miss me

cos everyone really loves me and I love them.

Mmm.

Hearing from family and friends has brought home the reality of what

Tanya and Jordan would be leaving behind in the UK.

Will they have been convinced to give up everything and everyone

they love for a new life Down Under?

Their time in Perth has opened their eyes to the kind of life

they could have in Australia.

Aussie homes made a big impression,

with plenty of room for visitors and animals.

-It's like a little nature reserve here.

-Mmm.

Jordan's day at the animal sanctuary was a dream come true.

Positive news on the job front was huge boost for Tanya.

For us to come out and be on that salary, we know that we can do it.

And meeting with the McTeers reassured her

Jordan could have a brighter future in Australia.

THEY LAUGH

So are they ready to give up everything they know in the UK

for a new life Down Under?

My week in Australia has been absolutely fantastic.

It's just so much fun, and it's a great experience to have.

If we move to Perth,

I think the future for me and Jordan will be brighter.

I'd be better off financially.

And there's more support for Jordan and his disability,

which is really, really important as well.

I really missed my friends and family.

But I don't want to go home at the moment

because I'm having too much fun, of course.

We've been able to spend time together more outside, as a family,

doing things we both enjoy.

I think Mum is having such a time here in Australia.

She's much happier than she was in the UK.

It's like me and Jordan are building a new life in Perth.

Based in our experiences of being in Australia, we're going to live in...

BOTH: Australia.

We're able to live here because it's affordable.

School was really important.

-We found out that they've got a lot of support for you.

-Yeah.

So I think we'd have a better life in Australia than in the UK.

And it'll just be a happier, better life in Australia.

When they started out on their week down under,

Tanya and Jordan knew what they wanted.

But were worried about whether they could make it work.

Despite their initial concerns,

education and work prospects look better

than they could ever have hoped.

And convinced they could make a new life for themselves down under,

it seems all that's left for them to do now is to get packing.