Chris Baker, 25, left England last December to settle in Perth, Western Australia, a city to which his parents had retired a few months earlier.

Apart from joining his parents, he said that a key reason behind his decision to leave was the price of property in London and the cost of living in the capital.

He was earning £30,000 a year as an account manager for an advertising agency but did not fancy borrowing a huge sum for a tiny flat in a run-down area.

He was commuting every morning on overcrowded and unreliable London Underground trains, and had been unnerved by the Tube bombings.

Australia, with its sunny climate, low property prices and excellent career prospects, appeared to offer the perfect escape. It is a decision that he has not regretted.

“I loved London but was finding it hard to get a food on the property ladder. I didn’t want to be in my early thirties and not own a property.

“I had a great time in London but unless you have serious money, it is difficult to make ends meet and enjoy it. There is also a lot of competition for work. I felt like I had to take the step.

“It was a hard decision. I have a lot of friends in London but it’s such an expensive place to buy property. Two of my friends bought a flat in Wimbledon for £300,000. For that you can get a fourbed house with a pool here, two minutes from the sea.

Since arriving in Perth he is now working in a similar job, with a similar salary but with faster career advancement. He plans to spend £150,000 on a luxury two-bedroom flat in an affluent part of the city centre.

Mr Baker admits that he misses his friends, London and the English humour. “Perth is quite quiet in comparison and the Aussies take themselves a lot more seriously when it comes to humour.”

“I’ve learnt to surf which is fantastic and I’m also playing a lot more cricket,” he said. “There are lots of barbecues and pool parties and my commute is now extremely pleasant: a seat on a modern train which runs on time.”

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