Etherington/Peat Family Wanted Down Under

If you'd spent more than half your life believing you'd been cheated out

of a dream life abroad, how would you go about finally making it happen?

Especially if it meant convincing your partner to step

into the unknown and start again on the other side of the world.

Kirsty Etherington's been dreaming of Australia since devastating

circumstances stopped her family moving there when she was 13.

When I found out my mum had cancer, it was heartbreaking.

Now, she's desperate to convince partner Chris the country

offers son Louis a better future.

-I just want better for Louis.

-Yeah, we both do.

But when a trial week down under opens his eyes to the

-possibilities...

-Can I say 10 out of 10 already?

This is, like, the nicest house I've ever been in.

Why wouldn't anyone want to come and live in a place like this?

Will the reality of taking Louis away from family force Chris

to call time on Kirsty's dream.

It hits you in the guts, it's just a really hard decision to make.

Ever since the first British settlers arrived in Botany Bay

in the late 1700s, Australia has been deemed a land of opportunity.

Today, the promise of greater work opportunities,

a chilled out lifestyle and gorgeous weather continues to attract,

and British people currently account for the largest

portion of the country's 6 million residents originally born overseas.

Kirsty Etherington has dreamt of living

and Australia from the tender age of 13, when her family's plans

to emigrate were called off after her mum was diagnosed with cancer.

Now a mum herself, Kirsty is desperate to persuade partner

Chris to give their son, Louis, the life she believed she missed out on.

Though with Chris dead set against the idea,

will a week down under be enough to bring him on board?

The week gets under way with an arduous 19 hours

in the air, flying from London to Perth via Singapore.

It's 14 years since Kirsty last made the journey to stay with relatives.

Now, with her feet finally back on Australian ground,

she admits the trip's taken her by surprise.

The flight seemed a lot longer that what I remember.

This time round, I'm absolutely knackered.

On the plus side, Chris hasn't been put off.

It wasn't as bad as I thought, I was a little bit worried about how

Louis was going to deal with it, to be fair.

That was more what I was focused on.

But, to be honest, he was a good boy.

But after a lifetime dreaming about being back,

Kirsty admits the experience is overwhelming.

I know we've just been on a flight for nearly 22 hours but the distance

hasn't kind of sunk in just yet, it's all a bit surreal at the moment.

Kirsty will need to find her feet fast

if she is to succeed in persuading Chris to buy into her

hopes for their future life together.

Back in the UK, Chris Peat

lives with partner Kirsty Etherington

and their two-year-old son, Louis, in a rented house in Yateley

in Hampshire.

The couple have been together for four years and since day one,

Kirsty's desire to move to the other

side of the world has been a constant talking point.

It's my dream to go to Australia, I've kind of forced it on Chris, really.

The day I met Kirsty was the first time I ever heard about Australia.

Yeah, it was, "I'm a nurse and I want to move

and live in Australia." And I said, "Well, I'm a plumber, I could come with you."

Kirsty's obsession with the country shows no sign of letting up.

I go on about it all the time, it's what I think about during the day.

Even when I'm at work, I think, "I could be nursing in Australia."

You've even got a scrapbook one of your friends has made for you

with a big picture of Australia, going, "My dream is to live here."

Her determination to make Australia her home stems back to childhood.

After several holidays there,

Kirsty's parents decided to emigrate when she was 13 but

the move was called off when her mum was diagnosed with breast cancer.

That was heartbreaking.

When I found out my mum had cancer it was heartbreaking. Sorry...

So, you now have all that treatment and everything, it was not nice.

And my mum so wanted to move out to Australia

because her sisters are there.

It was heartbreaking for her because she knew that she wouldn't be

able to go and she knew how much my sister and I wanted it.

Fortunately, her mum recovered.

But the dream to go back to Australia has never left Kirsty.

Now a mum herself, she thinks moving would help Chris

and her address the poor work-life balance they have in the UK.

Sometimes, we're like passing ships in the night.

You know, I come back from work, Chris has been up since 5am.

We sort of sit down, have dinner, and we're asleep.

I work every other weekend,

so, we don't spend a lot of time together as a family.

The only thing standing in Kirsty's way is Chris.

And knowing he's desperate to extend their family,

she's even resorted to emotional blackmail.

The deal was that if we were to have another baby, it wouldn't be

in this country, it wouldn't be in the UK, it would be out in Australia.

-Quite manipulative, aren't I?

-Yeah...

Just saying...

Chris has a list of practical concerns about moving to the

other side of the world.

I'm a little bit worried about the finances, obviously,

because we don't really have much to our name, to be honest, we rent this

place and we've got a couple of cars that aren't in the best of nick.

I know I'm a typical English man. I don't do well with heat.

I think one of the first things that Chris said to me

when I said about moving out to Australia was, "They've got big spiders out there."

Some of the big ones I see in this country,

I think, "Wow, that's quite big. Good job it can't bite me."

Joking aside, the single biggest reason Chris wants to stay put

is the thought of taking Louis away from his nana

and other family members who live nearby.

Louis is her only grandchild

and why would I want to take that away from her?

You know, it's a really big decision.

Louis would have a better life in Australia, you know, I can imagine.

The better weather, being outside, but what he gains there

and what he'd lose in not having his immediate

family around, I think would affect him massively, to be honest.

Kirsty has her own fears about leaving her family in the UK.

I would miss them a lot.

I'd miss my mum and my sister terribly if we went.

But I've got to do what's best for Louis and what's best for Chris

and what's best for me and my family.

It's an emotionally charged situation

but the family have reached a crossroads.

Do they commit to their life in the UK

or follow Kirsty's dreams back to Australia?

Surely, something as big as this,

you've got to be 99.9% sure that it's the right move.

Australia has to fit everything and more.

I think I really have to sell it to him, otherwise he's just not

even going to consider going, it's literally got to tick all the boxes.

Kirsty is praying that a week sampling Perth

in Western Australia will be enough to persuade Chris to make the move.

Their base for the week is a three- bedroom house in the rapidly

growing suburb of Butler.

Will Australian living be as Kirsty remembers?

-Wow.

-It's definitely bigger than our house at home.

-Yeah...

-And inside looks good too.

-Oh, wow.

-Look how big it is in here!

-Oh my days.

Despite reservations about moving to Australia, Chris seems pretty impressed.

Can I say 10 out of 10 already?

-This is incredible.

-The house has surpassed Kirsty's expectations.

I'd actually say there's nothing I don't like, I love it all.

-And even in the dark, the garden's a big hit too.

-Oh my days.

-Oh, wow.

-Look at that.

-The hot tub outside is impressive by anyone's standards.

Oh my gosh. The benefits of living in Australia, you can

have you can have one of these in your garden.

The biggest smile's on my face, this is brilliant.

-I knew you would like that.

-Brilliant.

It's clear for Kirsty the long wait to get

back down under has been worthwhile.

I've been waiting 14 years to come back here and I just feel...

There's a mixture of emotions. I just... Yeah, so happy.

As they make themselves at home,

Kirsty is encouraged by Chris' excitement so far.

He's been smiling quite a lot,

so, I think I'm sort of winning a little bit.

Chris is well prepared for what lies ahead.

There is no respite, where Australia is concerned, with Kirsty.

It's the hard sell or no sell.

But despite a positive initial reaction,

the distance from home is starting to kick in.

You're not a stone's throw away, you know?

It's even going to be difficult to pick up the phone

because you're in different time zones.

Kirsty's pinning all her hopes on the next seven days

and with the excitement of arriving over,

the pressure is on for both her and Chris.

If I don't get the questions answered that I need answering,

then there's always going to be that element of doubt.

Our whole lives, our future happiness is hanging on whether this

week is going to persuade Chris to want to move out here.

Back in the UK, Kirsty and Chris rent a two-bedroom house

in the village of Yateley in Hampshire.

We have previously lived in a small flat but we moved into a house

because we needed the space and we have room for Louis

and a room for Chris and I, and then we have this living space here and we have a kitchen.

The couple's budget for renting a home in Australia is

around £1,300 per month and Kirsty knows exactly what she wants.

It would have three bedrooms and more importantly, a dining area,

a nice living space. A swimming pool, of course.

Close to the beach and then garden space for Louis to play in.

But if he was to make the move, Chris would be less demanding.

As long as I've got a patio to put my barbecue on,

no grass for bugs to live... No, I'm just joking.

But one thing he is certain of is that any house in Australia

will have to be big enough to accommodate a growing family.

If we are going to Australia, we're having another child,

that was the deal.

To find out what kind of house they could actually have in Australia,

today, we'll show Chris and Kirsty three properties.

Two on budget and a third which could be their dream home.

Only after they've seen each one will they find out its value.

For their first viewing,

the family head 25 miles north of Perth to Alkimos.

Close to the beaches, this brand-new suburb is still under construction,

but with plans for parks, playgrounds and schools,

it could be perfect for young families.

But will this house be the one to sell Australian living to Chris?

There's quite a lot of building work going on over here.

Hopefully inside will be better.

Right, let's have a look at what we've got in here.

-Oh, OK.

-Oh, wow.

-I like this.

This isn't as open plan as the accommodation.

Straight away, Chris finds fault with the sleeping arrangements.

I don't know how much I like having the master bedroom at the front door, though.

It's kind of something you have to live with, isn't it, really?

-Something you have to adjust to.

-Is that a rule for Australia, is it?

Every master bedroom's got to be at the front door?

Don't know how I feel about that, really.

Determined to keep it light,

Kirsty shifts Chris' attention to the en-suite.

Love it! Fits my taste.

It's Australia, I think it would just suit your taste anyway.

OK, fair enough.

Chris isn't falling for Kirsty's sales pitch so far

but discovering a space for Louis does make him smile.

-Oh, wow, look at this!

-Oh, brilliant!

-This is like a playroom.

-This is awesome.

-Two more bedrooms also score points.

This is a little girl's room.

So, you've got, maybe, the boy's room, the girl's room and the play area.

Yeah, children's area, together. I love that.

But does Chris?

I'm not in love with it but I definitely like it

and it's different to what we've got at home.

I could sort of see myself living in a place like this.

-And they haven't seen the half of it yet.

-Wow.

-So, this is the bigger living area, then?

-Another living area.

The whole kitchen/living area seems to be how it works in Australia.

This house is matching Kirsty's memories of Australian living

-but a wander into the garden changes everything.

-Oh, dear.

-Well, this isn't very big, is it?

-Oh, how disappointing.

-Right.

This is a really small garden.

It's not the garden Kirsty based her dreams on.

I'm really actually gutted.

I'm really gutted, cos I love the rest of the house.

And then, to come out here and there be no garden,

I'm really disappointed.

It's not the ideal finish, but could they afford a house like this?

-Our budget is, what, £1,300 a month?

-£1,200-1,300 a month, so...

-That's English pounds.

-I would say, probably, about £1,500.

OK, well, I would say about... I'm saying just over, about £1,350.

-Are we ready, then?

-OK. Louis, are you going to turn over the card for Mummy?

-Oh, wow!

-Wow.

-So, it's £990 a month.

I'm gobsmacked.

I'm actually really shocked cos I was expecting it to be a lot more.

That's got to be because of the construction

-and the small garden, isn't it?

-I'm really pleased.

Really pleased, actually.

£310 below budget is a great result which could certainly help

Kirsty sell the merits of life down under.

So, will the next house offer extra outside space at a price

they can still afford?

To find out, the couple move to the coastal suburb of Kinross.

More established and boasting beaches, parks, shopping

and schools, this area should be perfect for the family.

But will this four-bedroom bungalow match Kirsty's

expectations inside and out?

I like the area. There's no building work going on, which is good.

-Another bungalow though, isn't it?

-Yeah.

Hopefully, that won't be an issue.

Right, so, this is a bit more like home, isn't it?

But the interiors aren't as modern as the last house.

I don't know if I like this one straight away.

I was quite wowed with the other one, I'm not wowed with this one.

-And Chris spots a familiar flaw.

-Master bedroom by the front door.

-Yeah. I do like this room, though.

-The main bathroom's interesting...

-This is nice.

-Is it nice?

-I don't know.

-No...

I don't like it. No, I don't really like the bathroom.

Well, this is the children's bathroom, isn't it?

Kirsty's chances of convincing Chris that Aussie living's for him

could be slipping.

If I was going to move,

I'd have to move for something that is going to give me

that "Wow!" factor and I haven't had it so far from this property.

Even with the dining area they want,

Kirsty reluctantly agrees Chris has a point.

It still feels kind of a bit claustrophobic.

It doesn't feel that open, it doesn't feel that modern.

And the kitchen leaves them both cold.

-I don't know, it doesn't tick...

-Feels really dated.

It's not ticking the boxes for me.

The traditional decor's definitely not for them

-but hopefully what lies outside is.

-Louis, look! What's that?

-Is that a swimming pool?

-Can you see?

-Wow!

Complete with its own pool,

this garden knocks the last one out of the water.

And triggering childhood memories,

it reminds Kirsty of what she wants for Louis.

Seeing him running around the garden

and splashing about in this pool just makes me realise this is

definitely what I want and I really want to hope that you want it too.

So, if we can find the right house...

Chris isn't committing to anything yet but back inside,

he agrees the pool has bathed the house in a more positive light.

Everything seems to look a little bit nicer in here now, doesn't it?

Yeah.

Unlike the last property,

outside's proved a real selling point, but with

£1,300 for rent every month, can the couple afford a place with a pool?

I'm thinking maybe £1,400-1,500 a month.

I'd say about £1,700 a month.

Turn it over.

-Oh, wow!

-That is bang on the budget.

-Yeah.

I'm actually gobsmacked, it was everything I wanted for Louis,

-which is what I had when I was younger.

-Awesome, I'm chuffed.

I'm happy as well.

The day's going better than Kirsty had dared hope

and there's still one more property to view.

Moving 25 miles north of central Perth, we've found what

we believe could be the family's dream home in the suburb of Quinns Rocks.

Close to schools, playgrounds and beaches,

the area has everything the family could need.

Hopefully, the house will be a winner.

-Wow.

-You've arrived to your palace, Queen.

Inside's pretty grand, too.

-Wow.

-Wow.

-What a front reception room.

-I'm actually speechless.

And finally, a house that doesn't have bedrooms on the other

side of the front door.

-Not a master bedroom.

-Yeah! No master bedroom.

Wow, I'm excited!

If this is what it's like when we've just stepped in...

This house has the "Wow!" factor and the modern open plan living

-area offers the family all the space they could need.

-My God...

God, this room is bigger than our house at home!

Look at the size of the kitchen.

-Yeah, I don't think I'd change this one.

-Chris sounds smitten.

This is, like, the nicest house I've been ever in.

It's got a breakfast bar as well.

This is exactly what I had in my mind.

Well, touche, because this is really, really nice.

This house is helping Kirsty picture her vision of her family's future.

This is the dream, this is what I want.

And Louis knows what he wants, too...

Let's go outside.

The garden's well worth a look, with space for Louis to play

and a swimming pool, what more could the family ask for?

There's not a lot of grass, but who needs grass?

And you've got a swimming pool...

He's got so much playing space, doesn't he? I'm gobsmacked.

It's more than lived up to Kirsty's expectations.

-That is perfect.

-Wow.

-That is absolutely perfect. Do you like the swimming pool, Louis?

-Yeah.

-Do you want a swimming pool?

-Yeah.

Back inside, Chris is eager to see what's upstairs.

-I can't believe I'm saying let's go upstairs.

-Yeah!

-This is, like, another living space.

-Yeah, upstairs chillout room.

-Oh, my gosh.

-And the piece de resistance, a master bedroom fit for fairytales.

This is the queen of the castle, eh?

Don't even tell me you can see the ocean from here as well. Wow...

-Oh, wow!

-Wow, what a bedroom.

The house has garnered a great reaction from Kirsty and Chris.

From the moment I left here 14 years ago,

this is the kind of house I wanted to live in.

But will the price put Kirsty's dream out of reach?

With £1,300 to spend on rent every month, it's time to find out.

I think the price for this property is about £2,400 per month.

I say £2,000, I think, maybe.

-So, how much is it, Louis?

-How much?

-£1,700 a month.

-Wow, £1,700 a month. Wow.

I feel totally overwhelmed, actually.

I feel really quite emotional, actually.

It's a long time that I've wanted to come back here and see

if I could live here and it's...

Everything I've seen so far, you know,

is making it more of a possibility and not so much of a dream any more.

I can't really fault a lot of it at the moment, it's...

Why wouldn't anyone want to come and live in a place like this?

Despite ending in tears,

househunting's been a joy for Kirsty and Chris.

Property one had everything they needed inside

but the tiny garden left Kirsty deflated,

until she discovered it was over £300 under budget.

Property two failed to deliver the modern interiors the couple prefer,

but finding a garden with a pool

brought back happy memories for Kirsty.

But the final property was the real jewel in the crown,

and at just £400 over budget, it was something to aspire to.

The day has definitely reinforced Kirsty's dream,

but has it done enough to help her persuade Chris to choose

property in Australia over the UK?

After seeing all the properties today, it's time for us to vote.

ALL: Australia!

-You going for Australia as well, young man?

-Yay!

-Well done.

Brilliant, yes. We're all agreed, then.

For the amount of money we can spend and what we can get over here...

-Compared to what we can in the UK, yes.

-You'd be foolish not to, really.

Yeah.

Chris' vote for Australia's a great result for Kirsty,

edging her a step closer to the life she desperately wants.

But with both the couple sold on the dream home,

Kirsty knows her hopes could grind to a halt

if the couple can't find jobs paying the salaries they need.

At home, Kirsty's a registered nurse,

-currently working at a prison hospital.

-I do enjoy my job

but it is just extremely stressful

because of the kind of environment I work in.

Chris joined the company he works for ten years ago

as an apprentice and is now a qualified gas heating engineer.

This isn't your run-of-the-mill sort of domestic pipe work.

This is your more industrial and commercial environment.

If they move to Australia, Kirsty knows exactly what she'd like from her job.

Better hours, better pay, more support

and out of the prison environment.

But Chris is much less certain about his work prospects.

She can go and work in a hospital. There's plenty of hospitals.

But is there always going to be a place like this where I can work?

It's definitely important that the right job is out there for me.

Kirsty's praying Chris will get the answers he needs today.

If he doesn't get the right job then...

we might as well forget about it.

While Chris has his own fears.

Am I going to turn up and I've got to retrain and take a step back?

That would really be a bit of a disappointing day for me.

Kirsty's visiting the A & E department at the Joondalup Health Campus,

where she meets nurse manager Vanessa Chan.

I qualified a year ago.

Would there be opportunities for me with my level of experience?

When I look at people's CV, I generally look for

at least three years' experience in an emergency setting,

-if this is the area they want to go for.

-Yeah. So a bit more experience.

It's not the news Kirsty was wanting.

Hopefully things will be better for Chris.

Good afternoon. I'm Chris.

He's meeting Kevin Stewart, who owns a mechanical services company,

specialising in refrigeration and air conditioning.

Do you feel there would be a scope for me

to get employed over in Western Australia?

Well, the basic concept of what you've got,

I call it as a gas fitter.

There is no direct job in Western Australia as a gas fitter.

-Right.

-We don't have that category

because we don't have gas heating as a form of heating.

West Australia has more cooling, so everything is based on cooling.

It is the worst possible news.

But surely, there's something Chris could turn his skills to?

You've got some of the skill set required as refrigeration mechanic.

Refrigeration mechanics are in short supply in Australia and in WA,

they are in extremely short supply.

That's more encouraging,

until Chris realises qualifying for a job

as a refrigeration mechanic means retraining.

It's a four-year course from start to finish

but I would believe you would probably fast track it

because you'd get out some pipe skills and may be able

to fast track it for two-and-a-half years.

Chris' biggest fear was having to retrain.

This could have a devastating effect on Kirsty's plans.

On the plus side, back at the hospital,

she's assured that with experience, she could easily find work.

Absolutely. I would confidently say 8/10 nurses here are from the UK.

I'm surrounded by nurses from the UK.

With a poor work/life balance at home, Kirsty is keen to know

if this could improve in Australia.

-What are the shift patterns?

-We have all sorts of hours.

Four-hour shifts, six-hour shifts, eight-hour shifts,

-to suit everybody's needs.

-That's really great.

Again, it's encouraging news.

All Kirsty needs to know now is how the money compares.

So, generally, for a registered nurse it works out to be

-approximately AU60,000 per year.

-OK.

-£35,300.

If I was working in a hospital I'd be earning £21,000

so that is significantly more than what I would earn.

Kirsty could almost double her salary.

It's the biggest incentive yet for working towards a career in Perth.

I'm a bit disheartened, the fact that I need a little bit more experience.

But there has to be a compromise somewhere.

If I can earn more money here in Australia

but it means I need more experience then, you know, I'm happy with that.

Meanwhile, discussing his options,

it looks like the situation for Chris isn't as bad as first feared.

Kevin has explained that mature apprenticeships

would enable him to work as a trade's assistant while retraining.

What sort of salary do you think that would sort of get me?

I would say about 45-48,000, which would probably, your language,

-£27-£28,000 a year.

-Wow.

That is really only a few grand less than what I'm making

now as an advanced fitter.

And with some experience, Chris could stand to earn much more.

A good refrigeration mechanic would probably be on around 120,000,

which, in your language, about £70,000.

HE EXHALES

Where do I sign up?

There's no poor refrigeration mechanics in Australia.

The day has been filled with ups and downs and when Kirsty

and Chris reunite, she is keen to pepper her bad news with good.

One of the downsides is that I need to have a bit more experience.

But, but, but, the good thing with that

is that when I do get experience and I can apply for a job,

-my starting salary would be about £35,000 a year.

-Oh, wow.

Which is really good.

Chris gets to the point with this news too.

-I've got to retrain.

-Oh, no!

-Yeah, unfortunately.

-No!

OK, and how would you feel about, like, retraining?

To be brutally honest I don't want to retrain but you've got to take

one step back, maybe, to take ten steps forward.

With Kirsty needing more experience and Chris retraining,

will the couple decide work in Australia

is worth pursuing or stick with employment at home?

Time for us to vote.

BOTH: Australia!

-You went with Australia!

-Yeah, well...

-As a quite well paid apprentice, you know.

-Yeah. Brilliant.

Up until this point, this is something I've been

dreaming about and it's almost, like, you know...

It's going to come true, hopefully.

Kirsty is delighted with how the week is working out so far.

Chris's second vote for Australia is the clearest sign yet

bit by bit, his resolve is being chipped away.

Now she's hoping a day exploring the Antipodean lifestyle

she remembers will take Chris another step in the right direction.

Back in the UK, Kirsty and Chris's worklife

means family days out are a rarity.

Making the most of some time together,

the family heads to the seaside city of Fremantle.

-A big boat!

-Yeah, it's a big boat!

-Bye-bye, captain.

-Good boy.

The area is popular with tourists

and a walk around the main street takes Kirsty down memory lane.

-It's nice round here. I like this.

-Exactly how I remember it.

-What do kangaroos do, Louis?

-Hop, hop, hop.

With so much to see, the family get a bird's eye view

from the sky view Ferris wheel.

It's even more family-oriented than what I remember.

Next, a trip to the park.

-This is so much better than a park would be in the UK.

-Definitely.

I mean, they try but they don't ever have anything like this, do they?

We just don't have the weather for it, do we?

Louis is taking Aussie living in his stride.

He's just loving the Australian lifestyle and it's just, so...

I am in awe of it, I just love it.

Seeing how much fun Louis is having

takes Kirsty back to her previous trips down under.

These are the kind of memories I have of my childhood

and this is the kind of memories I want Louis to have.

Louis, give Mummy a big cuddle.

-I just want... I just want better for Louis.

-Yeah. We both do.

Come on.

Chris is torn between giving Louis the childhood Kirsty wants for him

and being on the other side of the world

from everyone he loves back home.

I'm in a predicament where I'm weighing up my son's future

and his path in life for staying with my family and friends.

And I say, if we're being positive, it just hits you in the guts

and it's a really hard decision to make.

It's a tough call.

Determined to enjoy the day, the family go for a picnic,

also enabling Chris to do some fishing.

But despite the serene setting, there's tension in the air.

You seem like you enjoyed it today but it's something, like,

-you're reserved about something.

-No, I'm just thinking.

It's a lot to take in, I suppose.

It is a lot to take in, you know,

taking the bear away from the family, you know.

Although the past two days have proved positive,

it seems the distance from home has really kicked in with Chris.

If you could just pick up your life and put it here, in Australia,

-that would be perfect.

-Wouldn't it be? Wouldn't that be the best?

If everyone could be here with us.

It's clear Kirsty's dream isn't in the bag yet but has the day

been enough to whet Chris' appetite for the Australian lifestyle?

OK, it's time to vote.

ALL: Australia!

Great. I'm really pleased we've all voted the same.

We could have a weekend of strolling around there every weekend.

I mean, wow! Why wouldn't I vote Australia?

It's much better than the UK.

Notwithstanding Chris's conflicting emotions,

the Australian lifestyle's proved a winner.

But before Kirsty gets too carried away,

the couple need to be convinced the move won't leave them out of pocket.

While Louis takes a nap,

they figure out how living costs in Australia compare with the UK.

We've provided the financial facts, starting with the weekly food shop.

-Milk is cheaper. That's 30p cheaper.

-Bananas, £2.40.

-Wow!

-OK, and we eat quite a few bananas.

-Louis eats quite a few bananas.

-I'm a bit disappointed that things are...

-Generally more expensive.

Generally more expensive.

A quick tot-up of prices reveals how much

they will spend on groceries each week.

118. 63...

Moving would mean spending nearly £15 more a week.

That's not too bad but it depends on, you know,

-the other costs that we have.

-Let's have a look at the big stuff.

The couple's calculations are based on rent

for the second property they saw.

The council tax is zero here in Australia. Wow!

-They don't pay council tax!

-So, childcare.

So, that's pretty much the same. That is a shame, isn't it?

It's a big blow. Kirsty was hoping childcare would be cheaper.

My other worry is, you know, if we were to have any other children,

we'd have to pay childcare costs for them as well and it would be more.

So, how much more would the couple spend every month in Australia?

We're worse off by £152.07 per month.

-No!

-Yep.

-Try not to get too down about it.

-It's just more expensive, isn't it?

This could be where Kirsty's dream unravels.

Taking into account their Australian salaries,

Chris works out their overall finances down under.

With a press of this button, in Australia,

-we are better or worse off...

-I actually don't want to know.

Better off by £392.93.

-Wow!

-Per month.

So, even with things costing more, we're still better off.

That's such a relief

because I just really thought that was going to be...

-Has that feeling gone, has it?

-Yeah.

I thought that was going to be it, you know.

I thought that we're not going to be able to afford to live here,

so that's kind of where it ends. But we're going to be much better off.

Per year, the family would be almost £5,000 better off.

My mum will be over the moon, I mean,

that we can earn so much more money here, we'd be financially better off.

-It just gives us more opportunities.

-We're all right.

-It just means a lot to you, doesn't it?

-It does mean a lot to me.

Kirsty's dream survives another day and as the couple prepare to choose

between finances down under and the UK, the outcome seems certain.

BOTH: Australia!

-You voted Australia!

-A no-brainer really, isn't it?

Why wouldn't you want to live somewhere where you could

have more disposable income?

Enough said, really.

After a lifetime of longing, Kirsty's dream is almost

within grasp but for Chris, the greatest challenge lies ahead.

Coming to terms with leaving loved ones in the UK.

As they prepare to watch messages from family and friends,

Kirsty knows the emotional cost of the move

could completely cancel out any potential gains.

This is bound to be the hardest bit, isn't it?

-Everything has been going well so far, hasn't it?

-Well, yeah.

It's maybe gone too well so far, hasn't it?

-Good boy.

-Good boy.

Hi. Hello. How is it all going out there?

I bet you're having a fantastic time.

Hi, Kirsty, Chris and Louis.

As a family, they're really tight.

I think me and Christopher have got closer over the years.

As he's got older, he's got a bit more mature.

He's turned into a wonderful dad, looking after the family

and creating the family life for them all.

And I think it's a wonderful achievement.

We're very proud of him.

Louis is... He's just amazing.

I really, really love him. I'd do absolutely anything for him.

He is the most adorable little boy who seems to charm everybody.

Kirsty and I have been through a lot together

so we're more like best friends.

You know, she took on the mum role when I was really poorly

and we sort of worked together to get through it.

It was a lot of... It was a lot at 14.

I mean, it was a lot for me so I don't know how it must have been for Kirsty.

And she was just wonderful.

To be quite honest, I look back and I don't think I could have done it without her.

Australia is such a long way away.

I think the split from Chris, Kirsty and Louis is just something

that is, for a grandmother, it's not something that you would want.

Yeah, I'd just miss probably not seeing her everyday.

Or seeing my nephew.

I will miss you terribly if you decide to move.

Whichever way you decide, I'm still here and I love you.

We do love you, we miss you.

But we know you'll make the right decision.

And we will support you all the way through.

OK, guys.

I love you both and I love that boy even more.

I just want you to be happy and I want you to live your dreams.

So, please, I'll be fine. I've got a lot of support here.

Don't worry about me. As I've always said to you, leave tomorrow behind.

Live for now. And live for the future.

How was that for you, baby?

Horrible!

-It was horrible.

-Was it worse than you expected?

My little man's brought everyone so much closer together and,

I mean, it would be a shame to move him away from everyone, really.

I thought it would be easier. I thought it would be easier.

I thought if something was the right decision

then watching that would be easier, if that makes sense.

You know, I went through a lot with my sister and my mum

and to leave them would just be...

Harder than you imagined.

It's a long way away.

Seeing messages from home was heartbreaking and ironically,

it was Kirsty who was hit hardest

as she was forced to confront the reality of being on the other side

of the world from her mum and sister.

With her family's future at stake, will the life Kirsty

so desperately wanted remain nothing more than a dream?

From the age of 13, Kirsty's longed to be back in Australia

and the country has lived up to her childhood memories.

It's even better now that I've got my own family

and it's everything I've dreamed of.

The trial week's shown Chris the potential of a future far from home.

My eyes are definitely wide open now to what is here.

And given the couple a chance to see

if the country would be a good fit for Louis.

He's absolutely loved it. I mean, he loves the outdoor lifestyle.

His future, I think, lies here, not in the UK.

It's just, he's got so much more opportunities for him

and he deserves it.

He's such a lovely little boy and this place would suit him so well.

It's such a no-brainer when you look at it like that.

Why wouldn't I want to give that sort of opportunity to the person I love most?

Despite everything Australia offers, Kirsty has been thrown

by the reality of being so far from loved ones.

I do still have that horrible...

..that horrible feeling that it's not right.

And I...you know, I would miss my family.

For Chris, it's the only unanswered question.

It is a long, long way away

and can we really bring ourselves to pull Louis out of this family?

You know, it's not like we're jetting over to Spain or whatnot.

It's one of the toughest calls I'm ever going to have to make in my life, really.

From the day they met four years ago,

everything has been heading towards this moment as the couple finally

make the life-changing decision about where their future belongs.

After dreaming of the dream for 14 years, it's time for us to vote.

ALL: Australia!

THEY CHEER

That's, like, the best ever.

-The best thing, feeling, ever. It's brilliant. I'm so pleased.

-Yeah?

It's going to be hard, isn't it?

But it's the best thing for the little man by a long run.

If it's going to be as it's made out to be

-then you've got me all the way.

-You're sold?

-I'm sold.

-Could I have another kiss now?

-THEY LAUGH

-Bye-bye!

-Say bye-bye, duckies.

With Chris bowled over by everything Australia could offer,

and deciding to put his own family first,

Kirsty has finally achieved the fairy-tale ending

she has been dreaming of for herself and more importantly, Louis.

We wish them every happiness for their exciting new future

and will be listening out for the patter of tiny feet.