We returned home to London ‘for good’ after seven years in Australia. Just six months later we realised our terrible mistake… and booked a one-way ticket back again

For decades, thousands of Britons have made the journey Down Under lured by sunshine, beaches, and the promise of a slower pace of life.

The migration pipeline between the two countries remains one of the busiest in the world, helped by shared language, cultural similarities, and visa pathways that make the move feel relatively achievable.

But according to British expat Annie Symonds, who runs the website Londoner in Sydney, the emotional reality of moving between the two countries is far more complicated than people realise.

After spending years building a life in Australia, Annie and her Australian husband Stephen Moylan made what they thought would be a permanent move back to England in 2018.

Six months later, they were back.

Now settled on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast after years of uncertainty, Annie says the experience taught her that relocating overseas isn’t simply about choosing between two countries – but about understanding the lifestyle you’re willing to leave behind.

When a permanent move unravelled

Unlike many Australians who carefully plan a move to Britain months in advance, Annie and her husband made the decision while travelling around the world.

‘We decided while we were travelling to go to England and then just stay and make it work,’ she told the Daily Mail.

They assumed obtaining a UK partner visa would be relatively straightforward.

Instead, they discovered just how different the immigration systems were.

At the time, Annie explained, they either needed around £68,000 (about AUD$140,000) in savings that had been held for months or she needed to secure stable employment before her husband could apply.

‘I managed to get a job in London,’ she said.

Unfortunately, it quickly became clear the role wasn’t what she’d hoped.

‘It was just a really toxic workplace.’

Within four months, the couple realised their dream move was becoming unsustainable.

‘We decided it wasn’t worth going through with it and wanted to head back to Australia.’

The lifestyle she realised she’d taken for granted

Practical challenges mounted almost immediately.

Without jobs when they arrived, finding a rental proved difficult, forcing the couple to extend their stay with their Airbnb host, who eventually became their landlord.

Then came Annie’s daily commute. Living in Brighton while working in London, she expected an hour-long train journey each way. Instead, delays frequently stretched it to three hours.

‘There were always problems with the tracks or the train drivers never turned up. Most of the time I’d have to sit on the floor,’ she recalled.

The monthly commute alone cost roughly AUD$2,000.

Combined with the toxic workplace, grey weather, and long days, Annie said life began to feel overwhelming.

‘I always felt really uneasy.’

The move also forced her to confront how much her habits had changed since living in Australia.

Back in England, she tried maintaining the same early-morning runs she’d enjoyed in Australia.

‘I’d wake up at 5 o’clock but I just didn’t feel safe at all where we were living. I’d still see people out from the night before.’

She also found herself slipping back into a culture centred around pubs and social drinking.

‘I don’t really ever drink in Australia, whereas in the UK drinking is such a massive part of the culture.’

Gradually, she realised the Australian lifestyle she’d once underestimated wasn’t simply about beaches.

‘I thought the beach wasn’t enough,’ she said.

 

‘Then I realised it’s not just the beach that you’re living for in Australia. It’s the whole lifestyle that comes with it.’

Coming home wasn’t as simple as she’d imagined

Returning to Australia brought relief – but also an unexpected sense of grief.

The couple had sold virtually everything before leaving.

When they came back after just six months overseas, they had to start again from scratch, living with Annie’s mother-in-law for eight months while rebuilding their lives.

Initially, arriving home during an Australian summer felt perfect.

‘Everybody was really happy and I felt like I was home again.’

But after several months, another emotion emerged when Annie had to go through the grief of leaving England.

Like many migrants, Annie found herself mourning the family and friends she’d left behind for a second time.

‘I think when you live in a different country, you never really know when you’re going to see your friends and family again.’

Despite the sadness, she noticed something remarkable.

‘The difference within me within just a couple of months was huge. It was a very quick realisation that coming back here was the best decision.’

Finding where she belonged

Returning to Australia didn’t mean returning to the life she’d left.

Professionally, Annie had to rebuild her career almost from the beginning.

Back in England she had worked in radio, attending industry events and concerts. In Australia she found herself working temporary government jobs while trying to break back into media.

‘It took probably four or five years before I got back into the industry.’

She believes many migrants underestimate how long rebuilding a career can take, particularly when overseas qualifications don’t transfer directly.

Making friends presented another challenge.

‘Australia is quite notorious for migrants finding it difficult to make friends because Aussies tend to have their close friendship groups from such a young age,’ she said.

Rather than waiting to be included, Annie encouraged newcomers to take the initiative.

‘Don’t wait for people to come to you. Say yes to lots of things and find your people.’

Eventually, she and her husband embraced a completely different way of living.

Determined not to feel tied to one city again, they embraced remote work, spent months pet-sitting their way up Australia’s east coast, and eventually found themselves in Agnes Water just before the pandemic.

After two years there, they settled on the Sunshine Coast, where they bought their first home in late 2025.

‘I never thought buying a house would make me feel like this,’ she said.

‘I actually feel really content now. I feel like I belong.’

Advice for anyone dreaming of moving overseas

Having lived on both sides of the world, Annie believes social media often gives people the wrong expectations about emigrating.

‘Social media is showing you the highlight reel.’

Before making the leap, she encourages people to ask themselves why they want to move.

‘If you’re quite happy in your home country and you have strong family and friends, I’d really think long and hard about whether you want to make that move.’

She says the opposite is also true for Australians considering returning to Britain.

Holidaying somewhere and living there are two completely different experiences.

Friends who promise they’ll see you every weekend often become busy with their own lives once you’re actually back.

And then there’s the weather.

After returning to England twice last year, Annie said she barely saw the sun.

‘I went back in summer and then again at Christmas. I saw the sun once across both trips.’

For her, that was enough confirmation she had made the right choice.

‘I realised I don’t have to put up with this anymore.’