Why expat family who left Australia once have decided to return again: 'It was awful'

It's often said 'there's no place like home', and while that might be the case for many expats who make the move to another country, those deciding to settle in Australia are often torn between their homeland and their new love for the land Down Under. Such was the case for Ruthie Ellis and her family from Dunbar, Scotland who've just moved to Australia for a second time to give life in the sunburnt country another crack. The couple, with their three children, temporarily in 2020 to Scotland.

Now, four years later, they are back again. The 37-year-old refers to herself as a "Ping Pong Pom" — the name given to UK citizens who move back and forth between Australia and the UK. And there's a reason why.

Picturesque beaches and quality of life are some of Australia's biggest drawcards. Others have spoken of the laid-back culture . For the Ellis family "it has so much to offer" compared to their hometown in Scotland, Ruthie told Yahoo News Australia two days after arriving.

"Australia is wonderful because it’s just so beautiful and there’s lots to see and definitely way more to do than in our little town in Scotland," she said. "But Australia is so far away from other places as well." "When in Scotland we can nip to France or Spain, it’s a lot more accessible and we have our family there," she added.

"But there's just so much of Australia to see and we’re really excited to be able to have the opportunity to show our kids. At the moment we’re definitely here for the fore.