Pelan/Gibney Family Wanted Down Under

Finding love across a cultural divide is a story older

than Romeo and Juliet.

But what if you and your partner's different backgrounds meant

you struggled to feel at home where you lived?

How far would you go to be yourself,

and find the adventure-packed lifestyle you dreamt of?

Marty Pelan and Magz Gibney are desperate to escape old prejudices.

There's times where I feel like I can't totally just be open

and honest about my relationship.

Marty thinks Australia is the answer.

But when a week down under shows them both how good it could be...

I could definitely live with this. It's so nice.

I would move in tomorrow.

My only concern is that the weather is actually too good.

..will the distance from family prevent Magz from fully

buying into the dream?

That means moving away and leaving people behind.

Occupying almost eight million square kilometres,

Australia is the sixth largest country in the world.

And with a population of just 23 million, it's still

one of the fastest-growing places on the planet.

It's no surprise over a quarter of all UK residents currently

living abroad have made Australia their home.

Marty and Magz have found love across

religious divides in Northern Ireland.

But Marty believes their future happiness will be improved

by ditching cultural rifts for a life of adventure in Australia.

Now he has just one week to convince Magz that's worth being

half a world away from friends and family who mean so much to her.

The journey down under begins with three flights,

from Belfast to Melbourne via London and Dubai.

And, two days after takeoff, the couple are still smiling

when they finally touch down in Australia.

Our flight was great.

It was a lot easier than I thought it was going to be.

Loads of nice food and sleep.

The journey was - it's definitely an epic voyage there, isn't it?

Coming from one side of the world to the other.

But, already, the massive journey's got Magz thinking about family.

There is a wee sort of concern in the back of my head about how long

that flight is, you know, for someone with health problems.

For Marty, the distance from home hasn't yet sunk in.

I still think I'm in a wee bit of, just, shock,

if I'm being honest, that I'm actually here.

But it's amazing. I feel good.

But he knows the country will have to sell itself

if they're to be convinced they can call it home.

We're not taking this lightly.

Any idea of a move away from Belfast is a massive thing for us.

As the couple head out into Melbourne,

they know their future hangs on the coming week.

Back in the UK, dedicated youth workers

Marty Pelan and Magz Gibney live in Belfast in Northern Ireland.

We've known each other for about ten years

because we worked together.

Two years ago, Marty asked me out.

There was a natural connection between me and Magz.

-No, there definitely was.

-We share so much in common

about the way we see life and community life.

Despite sharing the same values, the couple come from

opposite sides of the tracks, and that can make life

difficult in a city where prejudices sometimes make their presence felt.

It can be an issue for me, in that there's times where

I feel like I can't totally just be open

and honest about my relationship and where I'm from,

and where I'm now living.

And it is, you know, it is stressful.

The couple want to spend the rest of their lives together,

but staying at home could mean following a path far from smooth.

Where we buy our next house, where we bring our kids up,

how we bring them up, what school they go to,

all that sort of stuff comes into play whenever you start to

think about, maybe just, I suppose, our two different backgrounds.

Things have changed massively and, you know,

we're not a war-torn city or anything, any more,

but I just think I don't want my children growing up thinking that

the fact that they're either Catholic or Protestant is what defines them.

Because we're so much more than that.

Magz would love to escape the labels that colour their community,

but moving to a more diverse part of Belfast isn't an option.

We can't afford to live in an area that is neutral, you know,

and where we'd both be comfortable and happy

and feel like we have no, sort of, real issues.

He's never been, but for the past five years Marty's

dreamt of living a life down under,

and now he's convinced it could be the perfect move for him and Magz.

Australia is going to, hopefully, offer us

the opportunity to leave behind some of that old stereotypical

lines that are drawn within Belfast,

and create a life for ourselves that's free of that.

Magz is open to the idea of living abroad,

but Australia has never been on her agenda.

I guess, in my head, I always imagined that that will be

half an hour's flight away, an hour, two hours.

I can maybe even do six hours, but the idea of the other

side of the world is a bit scary for me, at the minute.

The couple share a passion for sports

and Marty hopes the outdoor activities Australia offers

will help persuade Magz to go the full distance.

Between training opportunities, opportunities for new sports

and, again, thinking about our future together

and the potential of maybe a family, and what we can then offer

to our children, Australia could open up so many new avenues.

But convincing Magz may be harder than he thinks.

She previously tried a move to Liverpool

and the experience left a scar.

I grew up with my granny and granda.

They looked after me when I was younger,

and my granny passed away when I was in Liverpool,

and that was really tough to, you know...

I was able to get home, which was great, but even being away

and maybe not spending the last couple of...

..months with her was tough, like.

While settling across the Irish Sea proved difficult,

moving 24 hours away from family would mean a much bigger leap.

Both my parents and my aunt have had health issues over the last

couple of years, and the idea of being on the other side of the world,

if something were to happen, is quite scary.

And anybody that knows me knows that I'm so close to my sister,

so leaving her would be massive.

It's a potentially heartbreaking situation, but Marty is desperate to

give their hopes for a new life,

away from old prejudices, a proper chance.

There is no failure in life, there is just learning,

so that's my viewpoint.

For Magz, though, agreeing to make Marty's dream come true

will be far from simple.

At the minute, I just feel torn.

I want to live away from Belfast, and I kind of know that deep down,

but I'm not sure if it's Australia.

For their trial week down under,

Marty and Magz are visiting Melbourne.

Home to around 140 different cultures,

it's one of the world's most diverse cities.

The couple are staying in Black Rock, a coastal suburb,

11 miles from the city centre. For Marty, there's something familiar

about their home for the week.

Even the front door reminds me of my granny's front door

whenever I was a kid. This is definitely old school.

Hopefully, you'll feel at home then, Marty.

-Massive hallway.

-Wow.

-Jeepers-oh.

-I actually really like it.

-And Marty?

It's probably more your style than mine, Magz, but, yeah, there's

-nice finishes to it, isn't it?

-Look at the floors.

-The floors are lovely.

-Hmm, he's not sounding overwhelmed.

This does remind me of stuff that I would have seen

-in my granny's house. That's a long time ago!

-Ssh!

It might not be as modern as Marty would like,

but it's a big enough base for the two of them.

When we were driving up the street, this

looked like one of the smaller houses, and it's massive.

As the couple begin to unpack and settle in,

Marty is already feeling at home.

I'm really excited now, and there is a really lovely feeling

here in Melbourne, and we're only here two or three hours, already.

Magz seems to have bought into the Aussie way of life...

I can't believe the difference.

It just feels so much more relaxed and chilled out.

It is really lovely here.

..but it doesn't take long for her mind to wander back home.

I can already feel that tug of...

um...

It's amazing, you know,

but that tug of, sort of, thinking about back home and leaving.

Marty knows being on the other side of the world from their loved ones

is a massive issue for Magz.

I don't think that that concern is going to leave for Magz

very easily. I think it's a big thing for her,

leaving, potentially leaving, family and friends behind.

The next few days will show

if Australia can offer the future Marty and Magz want,

and whether, for Magz, it's worth cutting those ties at home.

I feel really excited to be here,

but the thought of being here without

people that I care about is, sort of, quite...

feels quite, um, lonely as well.

Home for Marty and Magz in the UK is a two up, two down

in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

It's a nice wee place. We have invested a lot of energy in it,

and it's definitely a place where we enjoy being.

It's just we are finding more and more

that we don't have enough space.

Yeah. It's lovely but it's tiny.

The couple would rent out their home if they moved to Australia,

but what kind of house would they be looking for?

Our ideal property would be somewhere that gives us

access to the things that we enjoy - the outdoors.

It would be lovely to have outside space where you could, like,

grow your own veg, and somewhere that's modern.

We have high hopes, I think.

And, again, considering where we are,

and the small space that we have, anything's got to be better!

Marty and Mags have around £1,200 to spend on rent

every month in Australia.

To find out what's available for that sort of money,

we'll show them 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 what it costs.

For their first property of the day,

the couple head to Dingley Village, 13 miles from central Melbourne.

Close to the beach, and with plenty of outdoor activities on the

doorstep, the area could be just right for the adventurous couple.

But will the house have the space they're after?

It's a nice feel to it.

It looks like it's a nice finish, from out here.

The interior impresses Magz.

Oh, my...that's a nice space.

That is lovely.

-I love the fireplace.

-In red brick.

-All open-plan.

Marty can see some appeal.

Probably wouldn't have the carpets,

and wouldn't have this type of furniture in it,

but it definitely is really good. It's a nice space, isn't it?

With four bedrooms, this property is definitely bigger than back home.

Good size. Good wardrobes. Ensuite with a wee shower.

But something has floored Marty.

Carpets wouldn't be the thing, but it's just, I think, me.

The home's spacious kitchen is a plus.

Oh, look at this. This is lovely.

It's a massive, big kitchen, loads of space to cook,

and a really nice space to eat.

But not every room is as well-proportioned.

I'm a bit shocked at how small the bathroom is.

There's a wee, small, tiny bath for leprechauns.

Fortunately, the master bedroom isn't made for little people.

It's a lovely big bedroom,

and you're not stuck for storage or anything like that.

But the decor is just not doing it for Marty.

They definitely have a unique style of furniture over here, don't they?

The retro horror chair.

Hopefully the garden won't give them nightmares.

Definitely liking the outside of this house.

There's ample space for growing veg but Marty spots a potential problem.

The planes flying overhead.

I don't know if it would be annoying or if we could live with it.

My instinct is it wouldn't be a deal-breaker.

Aircraft aside, the garden and house are definitely bigger.

It's just hilarious if we're talking about space and size in this house

and the last house, coming from where we are and what we have.

Like, this is the size of our street back home.

This is about six or seven houses.

Marty and Magz are staying grounded.

If only the same could be said for the aeroplanes.

It kind of ruins this, doesn't it? It ruins this space?

Despite old-fashioned furniture and a nearby flight path,

this property does have room to roam.

Will it be in reach of the couple's £1,200 per month rental budget?

I don't know.

I'm saying 1,000 and hopefully that gives us a bit more room.

This could be a big shock if this is about 1,300 or 1,400.

Way over our budget. Then we're snookered.

-1,130. No way.

-That's £70 a month under budget.

You look really disappointed.

I think, look at the size of this house. It's absolutely massive.

-I know.

-If you were to try and rent this back home...

-I know.

-Are you serious?

It's very, very close to our upper limit,

which concerns me. Is this realistic for us?

If the price of your rent and your food is high then, you know,

how much are you going to have left to actually have a life?

This property had the space the couple had been dreaming of

but the price tag proved a shock for Magz.

Can the next house give them what they want at a better price?

It's in the coastal town of Mordialloc.

Situated around a half-hour drive from Melbourne centre,

the area is popular with families

seeking affordable housing by the coast.

With running tracks and cycling paths,

it could be a great fit for the sporty couple.

This three-bedroom property promises the contemporary look Marty prefers.

Oh, my goodness. This is a lot more modern.

You just wouldn't picture this sort of space from the outside.

-It looked tiny.

-It's crazy.

With two main living areas, this house is anything but small

and this time, the decor is meeting with Marty's approval.

It doesn't look like you need to do anything to this place at all.

-You just sort of move in and relax.

-Although...

-Apart from the carpet.

I'm just anti-carpet, full stop. I could live with it.

It's OK to have a bit of carpet.

As far as carpets, this is actually a nice carpet.

Well, that's something. And the garage raises a smile too.

-Now you're talking.

-That's good.

-Outdoor equipment. Canoes.

-Get the bikes in there.

-Forget about putting a car in it.

Marty's making plans for this place already and he's not the only one.

-Wow! This is lovely!

-This is a great space.

I would love being in this kitchen, cooking and baking.

Love those splashbacks as well. It's perfect.

Even the cupboards are generously sized.

-Holy Moley!

-That's cool. Could just fit you in there.

But a wander outside leaves Magz less impressed.

-It doesn't have the same outdoor space.

-But it's not bad. It's great.

I could see us sitting out here, having a barbecue, Magz.

Relaxing, playing the guitar, having friends over.

You know, on a nice sunny evening, coming in from work,

in this space, I could relax here.

Marty has fallen for this house

but the garden's just not cutting it with Magz.

I just hate that it's not proper grass. It's quite closed in.

The neighbours are overlooking your garden.

It's not perfect but I could definitely live with this.

It's so nice inside.

A quick peek upstairs puts Magz in a better mood.

Jeepers. This is the hallway!

-And a work space.

-Brilliant, isn't it?

-It's lovely.

-The master bedroom is also a hit.

-This place is huge. Massive wardrobe.

It's great. Light, airy.

-Again, really good finish, like the rest of the house.

-Marty is sold.

Now all he has to do is convince Magz.

-So we're taking it then, is what you're saying?

-I'm getting there.

And the bedroom balcony might help.

This would be good on a really warm summer's day when you need shade.

Put your feet up, relax and read a book.

-Look through a neighbour's windows.

-That's what I was going to say!

Artificial grass aside,

this house could be the perfect home for Marty and Magz.

But will their £1,200 monthly budget cover its costs?

I think it's going to be about 1,400 or 1,500.

I believe it's going to be about 1,350.

-Holy Moley!

-It's 1,250.

-I'm totally shocked.

I thought this was going to be way out of our price range.

I feel a lot more positive about sacrificing the outdoor space.

-We've become very fussy from coming to Australia.

-I know we have.

After a disappointing start to their day,

this house could have helped Magz see the appeal of Aussie living.

And there's still one more home to view.

We've found what could be the couple's perfect property.

It's situated in Brighton,

one of Melbourne's most desirable beach-side suburbs.

The area is geared towards people who love to live an active,

outdoor lifestyle.

So it should be the perfect match for Marty and Magz.

-But will the house be their dream home?

-That is huge. It's lovely.

-A neat old secluded garden.

-I know. I like it.

Hopefully inside will go down well too.

-Front door is amazing.

-Look at the floors. Oh, my goodness.

-That is a really good house, isn't it?

-Stunning.

It's a good start. Before long, the couple's differences on decor are raised yet again.

It's definitely more your style than mine.

-You'd love a bit of coving.

-I actually don't like this coving.

-But, yes.

-For Marty, this house just doesn't feel like a home.

It's beautiful, it's lovely,

it's just not where I would envisage myself living.

With three good-sized bedrooms,

the house has all the space the couple could need.

Another big bedroom, isn't it? Very nice. En suite.

-It's totally down your street.

-I know.

I'm totally open to the idea of me living in the other place

and you living here. Just take one each!

-That could prove pricey, Marty.

-It's got character.

This house has bags of character.

-The kitchen is one space the couple both like.

-Oh, my goodness.

This is massive. I would move in tomorrow.

But the garden feels a bit formal.

I feel like I should get dressed up and have tea in a saucer.

This house has the couple divided

but would moving in even be an option?

Would their rental budget of £1,200 stretch to affording this home?

-I want to say 1,000...maybe 400.

-Yeah. I would go about 1,500.

Way above budget.

-670.

-We just could not afford to live here.

Like, there's no... Although we haven't seen jobs and stuff.

That's way above what we can afford.

The last properties were the upper end of our budget

-and that's at the other end.

-Yeah.

Marty and Magz's property search has given them a real taste

of how far their money would go in Australia.

Property one was never going to take off when they realised it was

directly beneath a flight path and near the top of their budget.

The interiors of property two were perfectly suited to Marty's

tastes but the fake grass in the garden left Magz cold.

Property three was in a desirable area

and its period features impressed Magz.

Discovering it was £470 over budget left the couple reeling.

So, after a day's house-hunting,

would Marty and Magz choose property in Australia or at home?

Based on the houses we've seen today, we are going to vote for...

BOTH: Australia.

We would have a lot more space, a lot more for our money here.

Judging by what we have seen today, there is a chance

that we'll find something that is affordable and absolutely amazing

and a lot more than what we would get if we were living at home.

Despite mixed reactions to properties,

the couple have decided Australia offers more bang for their buck.

A vote for Australia from Magz means Marty's campaign

to convince her their future lies down under is off to a solid start.

But if it's to become a reality,

the couple will both need to secure the right jobs.

Back in the UK, the couple have over 20 years'

combined experience as community workers.

Marty's currently a resilience coach,

combining youth work with adventure learning.

The end result is hopefully always the same,

that they have someone they can confide in, trust,

and that I suppose help them make their life a bit more positive.

Magz is a project coordinator with an organisation helping to get

young people into education and employment.

I absolutely love it. I just love working with people.

I love having the opportunity to support people to just

move forward with their lives.

The couple would be keen to stick to their rewarding careers in Australia.

I mean, the ideal job would be something similar to what I'm doing here.

Something that's a mix of youth development work and also adventure learning.

The job is important to me.

I do want to be working in something that I care about and that I enjoy.

With a population of over four million,

Marty and Magz are hopeful there will be plenty of opportunities

for youth and community workers in Melbourne.

Everything hinges on that.

We won't be able to afford a place to live, we won't be able to afford

the lifestyle I suppose we are hoping to get as a result

of moving here, if we don't have jobs that can support that.

Marty's visiting an organisation that combines

youth counselling with adventure sports.

He meets director Iudita Trifa-Schmidt

to find out if he'd make the grade for a job.

Our programme coordinators,

they require a minimum of two qualifications in outdoor adventure.

Obviously, looking at your CV, you do have those two.

And also a good understanding of the community sector.

It's a positive start but she explains

that because of a very low turnover of staff, openings are rare.

Funding cuts also mean similar groups have fewer opportunities

for new recruits. But it's not all bad news.

Your youth work, you may be able to apply it broadly.

Anything from not-for-profit to local government and government.

Magz has always been keen to combine dance with her counselling work.

With no opportunities to study dance therapy at home,

she is visiting Melbourne's Phoenix Institute to find out

about the courses available.

If we make the move to Australia,

the dance therapy is something that I really want to pursue.

So this will give me an idea of what the training is actually like

and it's something I definitely want to do with my future.

It's not long before Magz is feeling at one

-with the rest of the class.

-We work in pairs.

One person is client, the other person is therapist or responder.

With Magz in full flow, Marty's discovering

although youth work may be hard to find, he could have other options.

You may have worked with youth but the skills

and experience you've got can be transferable to adults.

And don't be afraid to try something new. Something different.

Securing employment may not be straightforward

but what about the possible financial rewards?

If I was to come here and I found a job similar to the workers

that you have here, what sort of money will I be receiving?

The salary per year comes to about 53,000, 54,000 per year.

On top of that, they get allowances such as on call allowance

and overnight stay allowance.

Providing he finds work, that's around £5,000 more

than what Marty owns in the UK and he's impressed by what he's heard.

It's shown me that there is potential

to do some real quality work here and I suppose that's really key.

If we can get the money to survive then that's important also

but it's also important to be in the right organisation.

And the fact they recognise the skills that I have is great.

At the college, Magz is meeting head of faculty Kim Dunphy

to discover if combining studying dance therapy

with work is a real option.

When we offer this course for international students,

the government requirements are a little bit different.

Students are required to attend 20 hours a week of classes

so at Phoenix that would mean that we would have

three days a week of classes.

It's a pretty intense amount of work.

Discovering the class is full-time is a disappointment

but could the benefits of completing the course make it worth Magz's

while becoming a student again?

I'm just wondering what my career prospects would be after doing the course?

You have training as a counsellor and that's a good starting point.

There is a lot of work around for counsellors in Australia.

What I would see happening here is you would apply for jobs

and then you would be able to say, "And I do this."

Kim is also able to enlighten Magz about potential earnings.

In Australia, salaries for counsellors would generally

start at around 60,000 and go up to about 80,000.

If she worked as a counsellor in Australia,

Magz would earn almost £6,000 more than in the UK.

Her day has ended on positive news

but thoughts of home are never far away.

I should be really excited.

But I know already, I just feel like I want to live here

and I want to be here and that means moving away and...

Sorry.

And leaving people behind.

Magz will face a tough decision at the end of this week but for now,

she's reunited with Marty to choose between work in Australia or the UK.

Based on what we've seen, heard and experienced today,

we are going to vote for...

Undecided.

There's positive stuff that came out of today for both of us.

Especially around training opportunities for you and recognising my qualifications.

But we've still got to investigate this more, I think,

before we know we can come over here and live and be happy.

Uncertainty over job aspects has seen Magz

and Marty play safe with an undecided vote.

Marty believes one benefit of moving down under

would be more opportunities to satisfy the couple's appetite

for adventure sports.

So will a day doing just that bring the Australian dream back on track?

Weather permitting, back in the UK,

the couple are passionate about rock climbing.

So to see how it compares down under,

-they are visiting the You Yangs regional park.

-G'day, guys.

-How're you doing?

-Not bad.

-Good. Ready for a great day's climbing?

Yeah. It's a beautiful day.

The couple are climbing with instructor Richard Lodge from the Rock Adventure Centre,

and waste no time getting stuck in.

The scene from the summit is well worth the effort.

-Lovely views.

-Climbing in the sun.

I could definitely see us here at weekends.

-Rope.

-It's exactly the kind of lifestyle Marty and Magz would love.

Everything is quite accessible.

Even an hour, an hour and a half's drive and you've got the sea

and you can be out in the kayaks or out learning a new sport.

And unlike at home, their plans shouldn't be rained off.

One of my only concerns is that the weather is actually too good.

That it's too sunny in the summer to actually do

some of the stuff we really want to do, like climbing.

But I'm sure if the rock's too hot then maybe

we need to take up another sport like surfing.

It's a hard life!

The Australian dream may have started with Marty

but today is selling the country to both him and Magz.

Things are so chilled out. There's no stress, no worry.

We've just been enjoying ourselves and I guess that is different to back

home because the fact that we are coming from different communities.

You sort of have to be aware of that back home and it doesn't matter here.

But with a previous move away ending badly,

Magz is wary of the price of being free from prejudice.

The possibility of friends or family falling ill when she's not there.

I know what it's like to be away from home

and to have to deal with that on your own.

And being away from family members who you know are struggling with it.

So...

And I know there's potential for that to happen. It will.

It's inevitable, do you know what I mean? You're going to lose people.

Marty's also got his own more practical concerns.

The cost of living might be something

that I'm worried about, and also whether there would be jobs.

It's going to be a mathematical equation, isn't it?

Magz knows the next few days could challenge the couple's relationship.

This has been Marty's dream and I guess if we're not on the same page

at the end of the week, it's going to be tough for us.

It's something we're going to have to discuss

and I really don't want to be in that place with each other.

Come the end of the week, both Marty and Magz will face

a difficult decision but for now, will the couple choose

the lifestyle in Australia over the one they have back home in the UK?

We are going to vote for...

-Australia.

-Australia.

Why would you not want to be here, enjoying the sun

and getting really good climbing in?

There's a lot of opportunities here for us. It's great.

It's been a great day, hasn't it?

If they made the move to Australia,

Marty and Magz would be keen to get involved with the local community.

To get a feel for how they could settle in, we've arranged

for them to visit neighbourhood allotments in St Kilda.

Stuff is going to grow all year round here, isn't it?

This is winter but you're still going to get vegetables growing.

With over 140 plots, Veg Out is the perfect place for them

to get their hands dirty.

To find out more, they meet members Tim and Hugh.

It's an old bowling club.

When they left here in 1998 and joined another bowling club,

this was left vacant.

So a few of the people who lived in the area

decided to turn it into a community garden.

Keen urban gardeners, this could be ideal for the couple.

It's a community space and anybody can come in between dawn

and dusk and generally the last plotter out locks up the gate.

It's the perfect place to sow the seeds of friendship.

The social aspect is one of the biggest ones.

There's a lot of apartment living.

Get out, meet your neighbours and have a spot where you can go,

rather than a restaurant or a cafe.

It looks like the couple could fit right in here,

which should allay any concerns about putting down new roots.

It's a community, you know,

and that's one thing I don't want to give up or leave behind.

There's a real sense that people are here to be with each other

-and to enjoy each other's company.

-They seem our type of people.

Their week so far has shown Marty and Magz

that Melbourne could be the perfect place for them

to settle but if the figures don't stack up financially,

any move could be off the cards.

The couple hope to rent out their home in Belfast

for around £500 per month if they did emigrate.

We sent round two estate agents to see if they agreed.

There's our street!

It's a nice terrace property.

-Actually, there is a small courtyard at the front.

-The house looks good!

Open-plan. Compact living room. Nice gas fire.

Nice fitted kitchen. Modern beech units. Very complimentary. Gas hob.

-A nice, compact bathroom. Nice tiling.

-It is compact.

There's a lot of small references, isn't it? But positive.

It's unfortunate not to have this upstairs but very well done.

Nice and contemporary.

Nice size master bedroom. Plenty of storage.

Good man. Stretch that leg over.

It would be better if they went to their local builder or local

council and got a door there, it would make access a lot better.

But otherwise, it is a good area.

This is a very attractive mid-terrace property.

My rental value estimate would be £525 per calendar month.

-It's what we expected.

-What we were expecting.

My rental valuation would be between £525 and £550 per calendar month.

That's good. That's the upper end of what we thought.

The valuations are definitely a step in the right direction but now the

couple need to compare living costs in Australia with those in the UK.

We've compiled the figures to help them out,

-starting with the grocery shop.

-Spinach! 1.20 more!

Oranges, three quid more.

-We knew this was going to be more expensive.

-Yeah.

Luckily, not everything is more expensive.

Peanut butter is actually cheaper here. That's a surprise.

-What's that?

-Stock cubes. A lot cheaper.

-One pound cheaper.

We can have peanut butter, stock cubes and grapes and hummus.

-Mm!

-Delicious!

But will they still be smiling when they see what the inflated prices

-mean for their fortnightly food shop?

-It's £149.57.

That would be a difference of £80 a month.

Next, the couple look at their bigger bills,

basing calculations on the first property they viewed.

So, the rent for the first property was 1,130.

-It's a lot, isn't it?

-Yes. It is.

In the UK, their monthly outgoings are around £2,270.

And Australia...

For Australia, the total outgoings would be 2,687.28.

-It costs £417 more to live here, in terms of our costs.

-It's quite a lot.

It is quite a lot.

But can their potential salaries in Australia cover that spend?

Their figures are based on Magz shelving her plan to study

dance therapy and work full-time.

So, total income for the UK is 3,150.

And total income for Australia is £4,481.

The couple stand to earn £1,300 more every month than they do in the UK.

I'm shocked. I actually did not think that was going to be the reality.

Even taking into account their higher spending,

-the figures are favourable.

-£913.24.

That's what we're increasing a month.

I mean, that's a massive amount of money.

In fact, it's almost £11,000 a year.

We're comparing our life back home in a two-bedroom,

teeny inner-city house to a big house with four bedrooms,

a massive garden and close to the beach.

It's like day and night.

I don't know what I'm going to spend all that on.

You'll find a way to spend it.

Marty's dream could be well and truly on track to become a reality.

We've just done the figures and based on that, we've decided to vote for...

BOTH: Australia.

It's a no-brainer, isn't it?

We found out today it's just going to be so much...

much more better off.

Realising how much better off they could be in Australia's

a real boost for Marty's chances of persuading Magz to follow his dream.

But there is still one final fence to clear.

The time has now come for Magz to face the emotional cost of the move

as the couple sit down to watch messages from loved ones at home.

-Hi, Marty and Magz.

-ALL: Hi, Magz and Marty.

G'day! How's it going?

Marty and Magz as a couple are pretty awesome.

They just seem to match perfectly.

Marty's a really kind person.

He is really genuine.

He's the sort of person that would give a total

stranger his last £10 note.

He has been such a role model and such a support for me,

raising these three children.

Margaret is such a selfless person. She is lovely.

I don't think she realises sometimes how valued

and loved she is by people.

Sorry. But she really is. She's just amazing.

She's like my best friend.

I could just talk to Margaret all day, you know.

She'd be there, no matter what.

I would be behind them 100%.

Whatever makes them happy.

I will really miss them. I will.

I know you'll make the best decision for yourselves

and for your future and that's all we want is for yous to be happy.

I will really miss you but I want what's best for you.

If this is both your dreams, go for it and just live the life

because it's time for yous to get something back for yourselves

cos yous have gave enough to a lot of people here.

You've worked so hard so give it a shot if it's what you want

and I hope it works out.

Are you OK?

It's hard.

I just feel...

..like I'm going in circles.

I feel like there's so much here for us

and then I've seen those videos and it's like...

It's brought...

-It has brought the reality back.

-It's massive, isn't it?

-Yeah.

Sorry.

Words of support from home were hard to hear for both Magz and Marty.

As a final decision draws ever closer, will they prove

the deciding factor when it comes to where the couple's future lies?

When Marty touched down in Australia for the first time,

he was hoping the country could offer a fresh start

in a community free of prejudice and the trial week has proved him right.

It is quite clear to me that it would be

a positive experience, you know, to live here

and experience the lifestyle, the culture, the opportunities.

The week has surpassed partner Magz's expectations too.

There's been times where I've literally been thinking

I would move here tomorrow. It's an amazing place.

I genuinely understand why so many people come to Australia and they don't want to leave.

Although securing jobs may not be straightforward,

Marty feels the country does offer benefits over their life at home.

Seeing that not only could we potentially afford to live here

and live well here, but we would be also making a lot more money,

which could open up opportunities for us.

But for Magz, their potential good fortune is bittersweet.

Even in the middle of the best experiences

that I've had this week, I've been really emotional

because I'm constantly reminded that making the move to Australia

means moving away from my family and my friends.

It is a big sacrifice.

The couple face a life-changing decision

and they both know what's at stake.

We are a team. That's it. Plain and simple.

So if it's too much then we'll just carry on

being happy in the life that we have back home.

It's most definitely not going to be the worst case scenario.

I really worry about the fact that he may be sacrificing things

because of where I'm at with things.

I guess what this week's been about is our future

and it's not just what makes me happy,

it's about what makes Marty happy as well.

You know, I want the both of us to be sitting, when we are old,

saying we're really happy with the choices we've made

and what we've done to make our life as good as it can be.

After much soul-searching, it's time for Magz and Marty

to decide once and for all where they'll spend their future.

We've had an amazing week here in Melbourne, Australia.

We have looked at the type of jobs we could have, where we

could possibly live and the type of lifestyle that we'd have.

And as the result of that, we are now going to vote for...

BOTH: Australia!

-Serious?

-Yeah.

-Great.

I just think we'd be really happy here and yes,

it's going to be tough leaving people behind

but I would hate to think that we didn't take this opportunity.

You know, that's what we're about.

It's about getting as much out of life and experience as we can

and I think Australia has so many opportunities for us.

This is going to be a big change for us.

And a big challenge.

But it's definitely worth the risk of giving it a go

and if it doesn't work out, well, at least we've tried.

It has been a rollercoaster for me.

But I am really excited.

With so much potential for a happy future,

far from the old divisions that restrained life at home,

it seems Magz is more than willing to make Marty's dream come true.

We wish them health, wealth and happiness as they set out

on what could be their biggest adventure yet.