I think some of these families didn't think through their plan as well as they should have, and some of them didn't have particularly good reasons for making the move. For example, one family did it "to bring their family closer together". If they have communication problems in the UK, what makes them think they'll magically go away being in Australia ? A few of the families seemed to take along a lot more baggage than just physical belongings, so it doesn't surprise me seeing them struggle to adapt.
Some families, though, seemed to cope with the change very well - probably no coincidence that they had more idea what Australia was like (e.g. they'd visited before), and no delusions about the magical effects of Australian sunshine, as some people seemed to have. Also, it seemed like they were more easy-going to begin with, and more likely to fit in.
For us, I think we had a clear idea of why we wanted to move to the UK from Oz, and a pretty good idea of what life would be like here. Of course, there are many little differences, some even grumble-worthy, but life here is mostly good, and after just over six months here, I'm certainly glad we came.
Many people on my friendlist have made similar moves - some have returned to Australia eventually, and some seem permanently settled. What are your thoughts on moving such distances ?