Exclusive: Taking a bold step, Damien and Victoria Byron decided to leave their life in the United Kingdom behind, relocating to Australia with their two young children in tow.
Originating from Manchester, the couple embarked on a spontaneous journey inspired by the allure of the renowned Australian dream, echoing the historical migration of the “ten pound poms.”
“We opted to sell absolutely everything we owned, keeping only a few suitcases each,” Damien shared with nine.com.au.
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According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), approximately 970,950 residents in Australia were originally born in England.
An estimated 970,950 people living in Australia were born in England, according to the latest statistics from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).
What the ABS doesn’t track, however, are the expats who “ping pong” between Australia and the United Kingdom.
Victoria, 35, Damien, 40, and their children Fabio, 16, and Aluna-Anayh, 12, touched down in Perth in 2022.
They had assumed Damien – who moved on a Temporary Skill Shortage visa – could easily secure work as a plumber.
The couple admit this was the “wrong choice”.
“To be honest, we thought we’d just figure it out,” Damien said.
“Once we got here, it was a lot harder than we thought to actually find work.
“I got plenty of job offers, but it was as an apprentice.”
Damien was also required to pay for a 12-month course to recognise his trade qualifications in Australia, after which he would be paid a minimum apprentice wage.
He took on a role in project management instead, where he needed to work seven-day weeks.
Victoria, 35, Damien, 40, pictured with their children Fabio, 16, and Aluna-Anayh, 12. Supplied
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“We weren’t aware that was going to be the case, it was really tough when we first got here,” Damien said.
The Byrons had been struck by Australia’s version of Paris Syndrome.
The reality of moving their entire family abroad did not match the fantasy.
“We realised that in going to Australia the first time, the way we did, we’d made a lot of mistakes.”
“It felt like a massive step backward,” Victoria admitted.
“It was just a lot harder than what we’d actually imagined it to be.”
“We were just bleeding money,” Damien added.
“With each month that went by, we were just eating into our savings that we’d built up.”
Victoria found herself yearning for their life back in Manchester.
It was ironic, given the family had decided to escape the monotony of their hometown for a life of adventure.
The couple said their two children adapted well to moving abroad. Supplied
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They stayed in Perth for seven months before making the difficult decision to move home.
It was hard not to feel as though they had “failed”.
“I was that person that was never coming home – I’d always wanted to do it,” Victoria said.
“It’s kind of a scary feeling because… I felt like I almost failed at it.”
The Bryons packed up their belongings, moved out of their rental and flew back to Manchester.
It was easy to slot back into their old lives.
Which, as it turned out, was the crux of the problem.
“As soon as I landed, it was like… ‘Oh God, this is the same feeling of why I wanted to leave’,” Victoria recalled.
“It was like time had stood still. Everything was still the same.”
Victoria, Damien and their two children felt comfortable back in Manchester with family and friends nearby, but the family knew they had unfinished business in Australia.
After a year in Perth, the Bryons packed up their belongings and flew back to Manchester. Supplied
They gave themselves a 12-month deadline.
“We realised that in going to Australia the first time, the way we did, we’d made a lot of mistakes,” Damien said.
“We knew what we had to correct and do right if we wanted to come back in the future.”
A long family discussion and a pros-and-con list sealed their fate.
“There were about 30 things on the pro column and maybe four on the con,” Damien said.
And after a year back on British soil, they decided to give Australia one last crack.
Damien flew back to Perth alone and worked on the mines for several months to build up savings.
Victoria and the children followed and the family reunited in Sydney for an east coast road trip.
“So we could gage where we liked before we settled somewhere,” Damien explained.
“We fell in love with the Gold Coast pretty much instantly, once we got there, we realised, this is the place, it has the best balance of everything for us.
“But again it was a case of doing it correctly, doing it the right way, getting the opportunity before we go.”
The Byrons headed back to Perth for another 12 months before Damien secured his dream role on the Gold Coast.
It was an anxious waiting game, troubled by brief spells of “have we made the wrong choice again?”
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After a year back on British soil, they decided to give Australia one last crack. Supplied
A year on, the family can definitively say that moving to Australia for the second time was the right move.
They now have permanent residency and have the freedom to move back-and-forth whenever they please.
It’s unlikely they will return to the UK though.
“We absolutely love it, and I’ve got no plans to move anywhere else, but when we moved the very first time to Perth, when we said, ‘This is it forever’, I think it added a lot of pressure,” Victoria said.
“It’s not a holiday, we’re still figuring everything out. We’re still always learning.”
Damien said the initial feeling of “failure” has dissipated.
All members of the Byron family now have permanent residency and hope to become Australian citizens soon.
“It feels good now that we’ve managed to do it again and make it work, and everyone’s here and happy,” he said.
