Cornish Family Wanted Down Under

If starting a new life halfway around the world

could give your family the time together they so desperately needed,

might you be sorely tempted?

But could you go ahead and make the move

if it meant having to leave one member of your family behind?

Pulling pints and being a travelling teacher

means James and Lisa Cornish hardly ever see their two little boys.

I would absolutely love for us to feel like a family again.

And for me to feel like I'm a mum and a wife again.

So they're considering moving lock, stock and barrel

to the other side of the world.

I'll get more time to spend with the boys in the evenings.

Be less tired because I won't be working 100 hours a week.

But while Australia could give them the lifestyle they want...

Can honestly say I've never seen them that happy

as they have been this week.

..it would means James saying goodbye

to his daughter for months at a time.

This week in Australia's going to be really important

because it's going to...change our lives, really.

Whichever way we choose.

With more than a quarter of its population born abroad,

Australia's long been a dream destination for people

in search of a better life.

Around 40,000 UK residents flock to the country every year,

hoping the healthy outdoor lifestyle

and prosperous economy will improve their standard of living.

But not all of them achieve their dream.

Of those brave enough to make the move,

one in four ultimately return to the UK.

James and Lisa Cornish are desperate for more time together

with sons Sammy and Louis,

and believe Australia could be the answer.

Moving, however, would come at a price.

James' daughter would be left behind in the UK.

Now, even if the family can persuade Lauren to come out for visits,

James faces the prospect of being separated from his daughter

for most of the year.

The Cornishes' journey begins with a 10,000 mile flight

from London to Melbourne via Dubai.

It's the family's first time in Australia,

and the reality of just how far they've come has hit home.

When you've had a seven-hour flight, you get off

and then you realise you've got another 13-hour flight after that.

Really puts it into perspective how far away Australia is from England.

The flight has taken its toll on Sammy and Louis,

but Lisa and James are raring to go.

We're really excited about the week.

Really looking forward to seeing what houses are like,

what the areas are like to live in.

We can actually now see everything in the flesh, so it'll be...

Looking forward to it.

If the week goes according to plan,

the 20-hour flight's one Lauren could be making on a regular basis.

If it would be good for them, then I'd definitely make the journey.

Because it means I get to see what they're doing

and be a part of their lives.

When their time in Melbourne's up,

the family will face a life-changing decision.

In the UK, the Cornish family live above a pub near Sheffield.

They're James, Lisa, five-year-old Sammy, two-year-old Louis

and James' daughter Lauren, who's 13.

The family started running the pub in 2013,

after James took voluntary redundancy as an accountant.

While everyone hoped it would mean more time together,

the reality's been the exact opposite.

I've been working much more than we expected,

up to sort of 100 hours a week.

For James, the pub has completely took over his life.

If he's not running the business, nobody is.

James works seven days a week

and Lisa's job as an accountancy lecturer

at colleges across the country

means she's also missing out on quality time with the children.

The commuting in general is a real strain on family life.

There have been weeks when I've left the house on a Sunday evening

and I haven't seen the kids till the Thursday evening.

And there's no let-up when it comes to the weekend.

As Lisa's drafted in to help James behind the bar,

Sammy and Louis have to stay with their grandparents.

It's a horrible feeling to feel like somebody else is...

..enjoying spending time with your kids all the time.

It's a situation that can't go on any longer.

It does upset me that I can't spend the time with the boys

and my relationship with them is suffering because of it.

It does cause tension.

I mean, we have had arguments,

genuinely just because we've both been so tired.

And so stressed with everything that it's unavoidable.

With the pub meaning the family have even less quality time,

the couple are now considering a more drastic lifestyle change.

One which could take them to the other side of the world.

It might be slightly naive, but at the moment, Australia to me, erm...

I feel as though it's going to give us that family life together

that we just don't have here in the UK.

The fact that potentially we could be getting paid more for the work

that we do here over there means that we could afford a better lifestyle

for us and the kids.

I'll get more time to spend with the boys in the evenings.

I'll be less tired because I won't be working 100 hours a week.

And it will strengthen our relationship

and bring us all closer together.

But while Australia could reunite James and Lisa with their boys,

it would mean James leaving a daughter behind.

Lauren's my daughter from my first marriage

and she spends half the time with us and half the time with her mum.

If we do decide to move out to Australia,

she will stay here until she's 18.

13-year-old Lauren's faced with the prospect of spending months

rather than days at a time without seeing her dad and his family.

It's just... It's not ten miles down the road any more.

It's across the world.

I'd miss them a lot if they went and I'm that close with them

that they know everything about me.

They're my brothers.

But she understands their life can't carry on as it is.

I think my dad feels like he's abandoning me

if he does move over there.

But I want them to have a better life than over here.

James and Lisa will face an agonising decision.

Being a father to her and to the boys, it's...

It makes my decision much more difficult.

I would miss her. I would miss... spending that time with her.

And I think the boys would miss her more so.

I think the boys really dote on her.

Lauren could spend holidays down under,

But if she doesn't like Australia, Lisa and James' dream could be over.

If we visit out there and Lauren turns around and says,

"Look, this is not somewhere where I think I'll ever want

"to spend a huge amount of time..."

That would be...a game changer, really.

Because I don't think that I could, erm...spend my life without her.

James knows something has to give

if he's to have any quality time with his wife and young sons.

But to make a move work,

not only will he have to persuade Lauren Australia could be her home

for part of the year, he'll also have to come to terms

with being separated from her for months at a time.

The family will be spending a week in Melbourne,

Australia's second-most populated city

and capital of the state of Victoria.

Their temporary new home is a three-bedroom house

in Williamstown,

a popular coastal suburb 15 miles from the city centre.

Wakey-wakey!

It's the family's first chance

to see what living on the other side of the world could be like.

-Looks lovely. Let's go in and have a look.

-Go on, then.

Ooh.

-It's lovely. Open stairs.

-Yeah. It's really modern, actually. I like that.

-I like how it's open-plan.

-Yeah.

First impressions are good, but then...

I'm not so sure that there would be enough space.

-No, we're used to more space than this.

-Long-term.

And the space inside isn't the only problem.

Not much of a view, though.

In my head, I've got visions of opening the doors wide open

and the kids running in and out of a garden.

-Garden, grass.

-Not a patio.

While upstairs does have one plus.

-I like the thought of a balcony.

-It seems really quiet.

I'm not sure I can see myself eating breakfast out here,

-with people walking past.

-Yeah.

-Or driving past on the way to work.

It's just not the ideal living Lauren was hoping for.

It's not unique. There's no...real wildlife or...anything to look at.

And she's not the only one that's less than impressed.

If everything I've seen from the airport to here

is what Australia's about, then...

I don't think it would be the place for us.

They may have just arrived, but already James and Lauren's thoughts

are turning towards possibly being separated.

It's something that we've kind of put on the back burner,

to say, "How do we all really feel about...

"..spending four, five months apart at a time?"

This week in Australia's going to be really important

because it's going to change our lives, really.

Whichever way we choose.

It's a real case of upstairs-downstairs back in the UK

for the Cornishes, who live above the pub James manages.

We've got three bedrooms.

The boys share a room and Lauren's got her own bedroom as well.

But we don't have a huge amount of space.

It doesn't really feel like home to us whenever we sit upstairs

and get any time off, it feels like people are in your house.

So it's no surprise that space

is at the top of James' wish list for property down under.

Modern, spacious, with four or five bedrooms.

Plenty room for the kids to play.

For Lisa, the list goes on a bit further.

We've ended up with this big, long wish list of walk-in wardrobes,

en suites, theatre rooms...

-Yeah.

-SHE LAUGHS

-Pool. Big long list.

-We do need an extra bedroom

because we've got a long list of people

that are going to come see us.

James and Lisa have budget of 250 to £300,000 for a home in Australia,

but could possibly stretch further depending on their salaries.

To give them an idea of Melbourne's property market,

today we'll show them three houses, two based on their budget

and a third based on everything they want.

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

The search begins in Werribee,

a suburb of 20 miles west of the city.

With good commuting links, a restaurant district

and plenty of schools and green spaces,

it's a family-friendly area which could be perfect for the Cornishes.

I really liked the area kind of driving through.

Typical impression you get of Australia, living in the UK.

-The outside might not impress much...

-It looks quite...dated.

It hasn't got a huge amount of kerb appeal, for my tastes.

I like things that are much more modern.

..but appearances can be deceptive.

Oh.

Well, this isn't what I was expecting.

Wow.

From the front, it doesn't even look like it's got an upstairs.

-I didn't even see that.

-No, I didn't.

-Are we definitely in the same house?

-Mummy!

-I want to see the rest of it now.

-Yeah, I do too.

The property's got the open-plan interiors Lisa's after,

but will it have the space the family crave?

Yeah, I'm trying to imagine it without any of the furniture in.

And what we would do with it.

I think once we get the kids' toys in here and everything,

I think we'd struggle for space and we'd feel cramped again.

And the kitchen's not perfect either.

Certain parts of it feel modern and updated, and other parts don't.

To be honest, it needs ripping out and started again.

That's always possible, though,

and the house does have five bedrooms,

meaning not only could Sammy and Louis have their own rooms,

but Lauren too, if she visits.

-I could see the boys in here.

-It's a good size for them. Ooh!

Oh, that's a nice little den.

Just put some cushions in and reading books on the walls

and everything and they'd love that.

That's the boys potentially sorted

and another feature manages to catch Lisa's eye.

Wow!

This is a walk-in wardrobe and a half.

It's just everything at home's so cramped.

And this wardrobe's the size of their bedroom at home.

So does this home have all the space needed?

Oh, gosh. Wow.

Not in every sense!

-I don't know who's going to fit in that bath.

-Louis.

-Louis.

THEY LAUGH

Can't imagine what you would do with a bath this small.

No worries about you falling asleep and drowning.

Well, that's something, I guess. And so, it turns out, is the garden.

This is far more what we were looking for.

-Outdoors-wise?

-Outdoors-wise.

-Yeah.

-For the boys.

-It's nice.

-You like this one, then?

-Yeah.

And from the windows upstairs,

you'll have a view of the garden and the trees and things.

This house could be somewhere Lauren could call a second home.

But could the family afford it on their 250 to £300,000 budget?

OK, how much do you think this one's worth?

-210,000.

-It's going to go under the 200 mark.

-Maybe something around 185, 190.

-I say 230.

230?

-OK.

-Shall we have a look?

-Yes, go on, then.

-Ooh!

-Oof.

-Oh, dear.

-Wow. 262.

That's a lot more than I was expecting and a lot more than...

Anybody was expecting.

I don't know whether this area in general's more expensive, then?

That's not justifiable to me.

-No.

-At all.

It's within budget, but it looks like James and Lisa

want a house that delivers much more for their money.

Will property number two fit the bill?

It's situated in Tarneit,

just 15 miles from Melbourne's central business district.

A new railway link will whisk local families to the city centre

in just 30 minutes,

while the area offers families parks, schools, shopping centres

and the modern style of housing Lisa's after.

That's way bigger!

-This looks nice. Big.

-It's lovely.

Straightaway, this property's looking more promising.

Oh, gosh, James. It goes back quite a way as well.

There's a lot of colour.

Yeah. A lot of colour!

I don't mind that. I prefer colour to just plain.

-What do you think, Lauren?

-Different.

-It's different.

Diplomatic on the decor, Lauren?

After living over a pub, all this room should definitely be a bonus.

-There's loads of space. I love how open-plan it is again.

-Yeah.

-I really like that.

-It's got three living rooms.

It's much bigger than the last house,

but is there now too much room to roam?

It's finding the balance between what space we need and would like to have

and then having this massive house that - A, doesn't get used often,

and - B, needs a massive amount of cleaning.

Can we afford a cleaner?

-There's one space James seems more than happy with.

-Oh, wow.

This is my room.

Yeah, you can live here. THEY LAUGH

Yeah, so I can see sort of a little bar area in the corner.

But the garden isn't ideal for everyone.

It's possibly the one area that...

I don't like about the house.

Yeah, there's loads of space, it's just not two-year-old friendly.

The house inside, overall, is fantastic.

I'm a little bit disappointed with outside.

Downstairs has provoked mixed reactions,

but upstairs has its own appeal.

-You've got your walk-in wardrobe.

-I know. I know!

It was definitely on my wish list.

The master bedroom also has a balcony with views to the front.

It's not like it's got an amazing view or anything like that,

but it's green and it's pleasant.

That's a lovely en-suite.

It's a really nice size, isn't it?

-His and hers sinks.

-His and hers sinks!

I miss having an en-suite.

Having one bathroom and one toilet to share between five of us is...

-Yeah.

-..hell. And it's only going to get worse the older they get.

That's a fair point.

This house would also give Lauren her own bedroom

and that could seal the deal when it comes to persuading her to visit.

With a budget of between 250 and £300,000, is it affordable?

So what do you think it's worth, then?

Hmm... I'd say probably about 270,000.

I was going to say a little bit more than that.

I think roundabout 290, 300.

-Shall we have a look?

-Yeah.

Let's have a look.

Ooh!

Spot-on. 295.

You get a lot for your money.

I think, if we had the dream, it would be a new-build.

With this space and a bigger garden.

I'm really excited to see the dream house now.

That's two properties viewed based on the family's budget.

Next up, the dream home.

We found a property which could offer everything the Cornishes want.

But luxury living can come at a cost.

This four-bedroom bungalow is in Sanctuary Lakes,

one of 20 modern estates which make up the semi-rural

but family-friendly suburb of Point Cook.

And first impressions are good.

It's beautiful, isn't it?

Every single house in this street, I'd quite happily live in, I think!

You haven't been inside yet, Lisa.

Oh, wow.

-This is stunning.

-Oh, James.

I'm so excited about this place. THEY LAUGH

Wow.

-Oh, my God.

-Crikey.

-And this is just the

-en-suite. Yeah.

Further down the corridor, something everyone can enjoy.

Oh, wow.

Oh, it's a proper cinema room.

Just imagine when that's got projected. What that's like.

Looks like everyone could settle in nicely here.

I'd definitely come out and visit.

Well, I'd come out and visit anyway, wherever you were living,

but...more frequently if you were living here.

Lauren may be sold,

but James is already thinking about how he could afford it.

I think I'd get two jobs to get this house.

The kitchen is fantastic. It's absolutely stunning.

Everything that we've looked at is to such a high specification.

-It is a dream house.

-It's perfect.

And outside, something else to keep them happy.

A pool wasn't top of the list or anything,

that's just...a kind of a bonus add-on.

The icing on the cake.

At last, a chance for the boys to dip their toes

into what life in Australia could be like.

-Tickles.

-How would you like to live here?

-And have this in your garden?

-Yeah!

-All the time.

You can just imagine yourself living here.

This house offers everything James and Lisa want,

but would Lauren be happy with it as a second home?

It would be worth not living with you. Well, it wouldn't, but...

It would at the same time, knowing that I'd get to come out to this.

-Yeah.

-For two, three months a year. Maybe more.

-I think we need to find out how much it is.

-Yeah, I think we do too.

See if we can afford it.

The house has won everyone over, but there's just one problem.

It may be out of financial reach.

The family's budget is between 250 and £300,000.

It's going to be a lot.

-440,000.

-I think it's going to be nearer...

-..550.

-550?

-Yeah.

Time to find out who's right.

404.

Oh, that's unbelievable.

-That's £100,000 over budget. But...

-Oh, we could still have that.

That almost makes me cry.

I'm completely and utterly speechless that we could get this house

and this location for that amount of money.

And it could be within reach, if the couple can get the right salaries.

I'm even more speechless now than I was when I walked through the door.

It's just...

completely within reach.

It's been a day of real ups and downs for the Cornishes.

Property one was bang on budget but short on space.

Property two had plenty of room,

but it just wasn't the house James and Lisa had based their dreams on.

And property three had everything the family wanted

and was somewhere Lauren could call a second home.

So based on the houses that we've seen in Australia,

we're voting for...

-Australia!

-Australia.

-Undecided.

-No surprise that we've voted for the same, then.

-Not at all.

Given how pleased we were with the last house.

We could never afford that at home.

Lauren, why did you vote undecided?

Because I don't know whether I want to move out here yet,

but I want you to move out here.

What did you vote for, Sammy?

-Australia.

-Australia? Why did you vote for Australia?

-Because it has a nice house.

-Because it has a nice house.

Seeing their dream house got Lisa and James excited

about a potential future in Australia,

even if they still have to persuade Lauren it could be her second home.

But to afford that property,

the couple would have to pull in a good income.

At home, Lisa spent 11 years as an accountant

before becoming an accountancy lecturer.

It's a job she enjoys and is hoping to continue down under.

I'm fortunate enough to be able to teach them

O levels, through their accountancy qualification,

and eventually see them leaving as a fully qualified accountant.

And that's really, really rewarding.

If they do move, James plans to call time on being a landlord

and return to accounting.

Research has given him confidence work will be available down under.

Mainly we've looked at the central government roles,

which is what we're used to here in the UK.

Melbourne's a leading financial centre in Australia,

which should be good news for James and Lisa.

I'm feeling quite excited about finding out what, erm...

Australia can offer for me, work-wise,

and see whether the sort of expectations that we've got

meet up to the reality.

And Lisa knows just how much is at stake.

Unless we can find a job at the right salary level,

there's no way on Earth we'd be able to financially make the move.

We've arranged for visa-applicant Lisa to visit Box Hill Institute,

a college east of Melbourne.

She meets the head of the business department

and a senior lecturer, and it's straight down to business.

What teaching qualifications do you have?

Right, so, in the UK there aren't any teaching qualification requirements

for me to teach the chartered qualification.

To get a teaching job here, the minimum qualification

is a certificate for training and assessment.

That will take you about a month.

You have got certainly more than the minimum to get employed

as a teacher. However, in the current environment,

I would highly recommend more qualifications,

higher level qualifications.

Breadth and depth, and that will maximise your chances

-of employment and also maximise your salary.

-OK.

So what sort of demand would there be in Australia

for someone with my experience?

We advertise for any lecturer role. You get...

Maybe 80% of applications that come through are people from overseas.

It sounds like Lisa might be back at school herself

if she's to stand out from candidates chasing lecturer jobs.

And that would mean more pressure on James to find the perfect job.

To get to the bottom of accounting opportunities,

he's meeting Susan Drewes

from one of the city's prominent recruitment companies.

So, James, having a look at your resume, you were a certified,

practising accountant and more recently, you've been running a pub.

-Yes.

-Bit of a difference, accountant to a pub holder.

-Yes.

I was still accounting for myself

so I was still practising accountancy,

but it's more wide-ranging, so I'm running the end-to-end business,

rather than just the finance.

Hoping to escape the pub,

James needs to explore his other prospects in Australia.

So really, looking at your experience,

your skills in government, I believe, would be very transferable

into the state government here, or a public sector environment.

We've got a number of specialist consultants who work

specifically with the government,

and we recruit these roles on a daily basis within the business.

James could be in demand.

Back at Box Hill, Lisa's keen to hear her potential salary

if she found a job.

Some of the jobs that I've been looking at

were in the region of 80 to £100,000.

That sort of money, as a lecturer, not as a manager, erm,

is maybe at the top end of the university's scale.

I estimate, Lisa, you'd come in

around the middle of the lecturer range,

which would be a salary of about 60 to 70,000 a year.

That's a massive £50,000 less than Lisa was hoping for

and that could mean the end of her and James' dream.

We'd want the standard of living that would offer the boys

and ourselves a much better lifestyle.

If we can't get the salary to enable us to do that,

then I'm not so sure we'd move to Australia.

The family are desperate for change,

but if James' potential earnings aren't high enough,

it might mean leaving Lauren won't be an issue after all.

So what kind of salary do you think I'd be able to command in Australia?

Look, I think realistically,

you'd be looking at anything at about that sort of 80 to 100k mark.

And I appreciate that's quite a wide range.

It's very much depending on the nature of the role.

We were looking at 90 to 100,000,

-which converts to round about 50 to £60,000.

-Yeah.

Which, to be honest with you, is more than I was on in the UK.

Erm, but from what we've seen,

we would need that extra to be able to afford the lifestyle

that we're hoping to achieve, so... That's perfect.

The day's definitely been more positive for James.

I think from speaking to Susan, I could see myself

working in Melbourne.

Although it's a big city, it seems very relaxed

and very laid-back and it's just what we're looking for.

Lisa and James have had completely different experiences today,

so how will that affect their vote?

Will they choose work in Australia, or the UK?

Based on our work experience today, we are voting for...

-Australia.

-Australia.

Although the salary expectations in lecturing are immediately

a lot less than what I was expecting, I'm not bothered by that.

It just means that we'll have to have a rethink and maybe

look at some different opportunities for me in the short term.

In terms of what it will give us as a family,

moving away from the pub and everything that goes with that,

I still think we'll be better off out here.

A return to practising accounting for Lisa

means the couple's dream isn't over yet.

But James still needs to establish

if the benefits Australia can offer his family

will outweigh the time he'll spend apart from daughter Lauren

and convince her to split her time between the two countries.

A day sampling Australia's lifestyle could make all the difference.

The Cornishes are spending the day at Latrobe Golf Park in Bundoora.

Before becoming consumed with running the pub,

James was a keen golfer

and is hoping that if he and Lisa could get more time

with Sammy and Louis, it's a sport they could practise together.

Yay!

It's a reminder of what a move is all about.

Lifestyle's a huge part of the decision to move to Australia.

It's the whole reason why we're even considering it.

We don't spend a huge amount of time together as a family, and moving

to Australia would offer us the opportunity to have that time back.

And for us to feel like a family again.

And for me to feel like I'm a mum and a wife again.

THEY LAUGH

This is fun!

Everyone's worked up an appetite, and luckily Lisa has come prepared.

It's a real taste of what life could be like,

and James is delighted to get quality time with his boys.

I can honestly say I've never really seen them that happy

as they have been this week.

They can go and play together

and even myself and Lisa get involved in that

and it's not something that we can do at home.

The day's rounded off at the driving range.

The Australian lifestyle could give the family

everything they're looking for.

And Lauren knows just how much that means to James and Lisa.

It upsets me that they might move to Australia,

but on the other hand it doesn't,

because I want them to move to have a better life

than they could ever have in England.

I want them to be happy.

The afternoon also gives James and Lauren

some important father-daughter time

and the chance to discuss

what moving would mean for their relationship.

So how would you feel, then, if we came out here?

I'd be upset, but...

..I'd be happy for you as well.

Be happy to see us for two or three months a year

rather than every week?

Well...I'd get used to it.

Just like I got used to not seeing you and mum together.

I want you to move out here. I've told you that.

-And you're not... You're not abandoning me.

-I know.

But I don't want you to feel like you've got to say that

-because...

-No, I don't feel like I've got to say that.

-No? Are you sure?

-I'm saying that because that's how I feel.

OK.

Today's not only provided much-needed time together,

it's seen Lauren reassure James having half her family

on the other side of the world is an idea she could get used to.

But come the end of the week, James will still face a difficult choice.

It's a massive decision because...

..I've got to try and balance doing what's right for me

and Lisa and the boys with doing right by Lauren.

It's been a fun

and thought-provoking day for the family, so when it comes to choosing

between lifestyle in Australia or the UK, what will they opt for?

ALL: Australia.

It's been really nice being able to spend time together

-as a family again.

-I'm the same.

It's just nice to be able to spend time together as a family.

A unanimous vote for Australia's all well and good,

but with Lisa's projected salary much lower than expected,

the family now need to find out

whether they can actually afford to make the move.

We've provided a breakdown of their living expenses,

starting with their fortnightly grocery shop.

-Quite a lot of the vegetables and things double.

-Beef's a lot cheaper.

Chicken's a lot cheaper.

The yoghurts are loads more expensive.

Crikey!

Looks like Sammy and Louis may have to forgo their fromage frais.

Most things are more expensive, though, aren't they?

Let's face it, as we go down the list, most of the things on there.

-Shopping is £67.18.

-More than the UK.

73% more expensive.

There's no hiding these two are accountants.

£135 more on food isn't a dealbreaker,

but how will the bigger figures stack up?

James and Lisa base their calculations

on the second property they viewed.

Gas is half the price.

But the childcare would be more expensive

because we won't have grandparents looking after the kids.

So that's £470.

To £15.

Added to the extra grocery bill,

Lisa and James would spend £600 more per month in Australia.

The dream could live or die on their potential salaries.

My salary would be £543 more. Your salary would be £2 less.

£2 less.

-And this is based on...?

-Teaching.

So overall...we would be £70.85 better off.

-Per month.

-In Australia.

If Lisa lectured down under,

the family would be around £70 better off each month.

Not bad, but not enough to pay for regular flights for Lauren.

If I went back into accounting,

we'd be £10,606.20 a year better off.

And even if we had the dream house...

If I was in accounting, and you were too...

then we'd still be £5,326 better off.

A year. I can't believe that.

-It's a huge difference.

-It's a massive difference.

A return to accountancy for Lisa changes everything.

I can't put into words how that makes me feel.

Lisa and James could afford the life they're desperate for

with their sons and flights for Lauren.

So how will they vote?

-Australia.

-Australia.

All week, I've had this...horrible feeling in the pit of my stomach

that...

Yeah, that feeling's completely gone now.

-So you're happy again?

-Yeah, I'm happy again!

It's so good.

The financial cost of Lisa and James' dream seems achievable.

But what about the emotional cost?

Whilst Sammy and Louis are looked after by a childminder,

the rest of the family sit down

to watch messages from their loved ones in the UK.

-Hiya.

-Hi, Lisa, James.

-ALL:

-Hi!

Hope you're having fun and enjoying yourselves in Australia.

Hope you're having a fantastic time,

and we don't want you to come back with a tan

because we don't want to look pasty next to you.

As a family, Lisa and James are really...

you know, hardworking.

Dedicated to their family, to the kids.

James is a top bloke, and yeah, if he were to go, I'd miss him very much.

Lisa doesn't just do something,

she overdoes it, if you know what I mean.

She really looks into things.

She's very, sort of, like, confident in herself and the things she does.

Because I lack in that area, it's nice, because that bit rubs off

and then I feel confident enough to go and do things, so...

It's nice. I don't think she realises that she does that.

Lauren's a lovely young girl.

She's sprung from being a little girl at the beginning of last summer

to being quite a young lady, really, hasn't she?

And, yeah, she's a really good big sister to the boys, isn't she?

Oh, Sammy. You know what?

I've said to James and Lisa, you lot go,

but leave Sammy here with me because I don't want him to go.

I really don't!

Louis is lovely. Louis is coming on smashing.

Erm, I mean, we bought him a jigsaw book at Christmas, didn't we?

-Oh, he's good at jigsaws.

-Oh, he loves his jigsaws.

If they do move to Australia, I think

it's going to absolutely crush them all.

In the sense of leaving Lauren behind.

Only because they're going to miss her terribly.

I can honestly say that...since I knew...

..I've been the saddest that I've ever been in my life.

I'd miss the physical contact.

Erm, and though I will be able to see them on Skype and talk to her

and everything like that, erm...

I would look forward to the cuddles when I do see them.

So they'd have to save them all up.

And I know it's going to be hard when they go, if they do go.

Oh, God.

It's a fantastic opportunity,

-and if you think you can make it work, then do it.

-Yeah, definitely.

Because it might be one of the best decisions you've ever made.

You know we love you to bits.

We know we've told you we'll miss you, but we've also said that

we wouldn't stand in your way if you went, if you made the decision to go.

I will really, really miss you.

Obviously, I know it's going to be hard.

Especially with Lauren.

But I want you to do what's best for you and be happy.

Just make sure, James and Lisa,

that you look at everything before you make any decisions whatsoever.

And come back safe.

What do you think?

Got to love Angel and Caroline, haven't you? Bless them.

-And Michelle.

-And Michelle.

-They do seem to...

-Be accepting?

-Be accepting and have our best interests at heart.

I can see now how much it is going to affect...

..me and everyone else, but I could see that before.

It's just how well we'll cope with it.

Lauren may have given her blessing for the family's move to Australia,

but it's now time for James to decide

if the lifestyle he and Lisa are yearning for with their sons

is worth the time he'll lose with his daughter.

Has Australia lived up to the dream?

It's been fascinating to see the Australian culture

and look round some fantastic houses.

Experience what Australia's got to offer for us.

There's parts of the week that have been really good.

Parts of the week that have put my mind into doubt

as to whether a move to Australia is right for us.

If James and Lisa move to the other side of the world with their sons,

Lauren will be staying in the UK with her mum

and only making the occasional trip down under.

Has she been convinced the country could become a second home?

We've seen a lot that Australia has to offer.

And most of the time, Australia's been more favourable than the UK.

However, James is still wrestling

with the positive and negative implications of a move.

The thing for me with the decision is Lauren.

She's my daughter, she's my first-born.

And she means everything to me and...

It would be a huge change in the dynamic of our family

to not have her around every week.

And that's the single hardest thing for me.

Obviously, I'd be sad if they did choose Australia,

but I know what it would be doing for their lives.

Both Lisa and Lauren know how torn James is.

I think James has probably been more positive

than I've been across the week.

I think his main concern always has been

and always will be how it affects Lauren.

I know a lot of it does revolve around my opinion

and my feelings about it.

But I'd much rather them be happy than to have to stop and...

..crush their dreams.

It's now time for the whole family to decide where their future lies.

So after spending the week in Australia,

we've had some ups and some downs.

But our final vote is for...

ALL: Australia.

-Did everyone put Australia?

-Yeah.

Wow.

It's been a fantastic week and I think it's, erm...

The writing's on the wall for us to come out here.

It'd be silly for us to not try.

I voted Australia for you and for coming out here twice a year.

Maybe when I turn 18, I could come out and have a year out.

Did you vote UK or did you vote Australia?

-Australia.

-Australia? Shout it out.

Australia!

With Lauren happy to spend months at a time in Australia,

James has decided a move down under

will give the rest of his family the time together

they've been missing in the UK.

We wish everyone well, and who knows?

On turning 18, Lauren might join them full-time.