Even the nepo infants are flocking to Australia! Celeb offspring be a part of the exodus of Brits preferring life Down Under

With the allure of its sunny climate and a better quality of life, thousands of Britons have made the move Down Under – and nepo babies are no different.

More and more children born to the rich and famous are opting to pack up their lives and move to Australia in search of new opportunities. 

A recent study found that life expectancy in Australia is two years longer than in the UK – a discrepancy that experts partly put down to people being happier and healthier there, as well as lower smoking and drug abuse rates.

The results, shared in the journal BMJ Open, were stark when compared against six other nations, with the paper stating Australia was ‘clearly the best-performing anglophone country’ for 30 years.

Better healthcare and an outdoor lifestyle are just some of the reasons Brits claim to have made the 24-hour flight across to the sunny other side of the world. 

While some such as Jamie Oliver‘s daughter Poppy appear to have been drawn to the lifestyle, others have seen a move to Australia as a career opportunity. 

Ronan Keating‘s budding actress daughter Missy decided to try her hand at launching her career in Oz, while working in a cafe.

It’s perhaps no surprise that Australia is now on the map as a potential launchpad for a showbiz career.

During the pandemic, Australia became Hollywood Down Under during the years of the pandemic, with blockbuster film productions generating billions of dollars for the local economy.

Major film studios rushed to relocate their productions to Australia to take advantage of largely coronavirus-free regions while the pandemic raged in the US, with a swathe of stars including Natalie Portman, Paul Mescal and Julia Roberts spotted filming. 

While Hollywood is no doubt still the heart of the movie industry, British stars have been making moves away from the US with Minnie Driver, Cat Deeley and Sophie Turner among the celebrities who have returned to the UK – citing concern over abortion rights and gun violence. 

Australia is seen as much more progressive, with plans to ban social media for under 16s and TV shows that feature a message acknowledging the traditional owners of the land in the credits. 

Missy Keating relocated Down Under from Ireland to start a new life and pursue her dream career in acting in November 2022.

The 23-year-old daughter of Boyzone star Ronan, spent nine months exploring the country at the age of 21, but has since packed up her belongings for a second time and is now living and working in the US.

Although her plans didn’t work out, Missy had hoped that a stint in Sydney would help her launch an acting career.  

‘I have lots of family in Australia, and there are some great agencies there for acting,’ she told goss.ie.

‘I’m really excited to get out there and start a new chapter. It’s time for a new me.’

‘I love it on this side of the world. I love being so close to my family, so I won’t be heading there for too long. I’m thinking I’ll do a year there, where I will just enjoy the sun and focus on my acting.’

Missy started acting aged 10, appearing in movies such as the horror film Dark Touch and The Sea, however adult roles have been elusive thus far. 

But, Missy’s mother Yvonne Connolly has her daughter to thank after she met her partner of 10 years John Conroy on set of Dark Touch.

Yvonne told evoke.ie: ‘I first met John on a film set in 2011 and my daughter was acting in it, she had the lead role, and I was introduced to John. He was the DP which means he shoots the movie, and for me, it was love at first sight.’

She has appeared as a contestant on Dancing With The Stars, Ireland’s answer to Strictly, but has ruled out a stint on Love Island like her brother Jack, saying she wouldn’t want her parents watching any romantic exploits.  

While she was in Australia, she scored a job working at a local café in Coogee, Sydney.

Since she jetted off to New York, it hasn’t been any easy for Ronan, who was in left in floods of tears as he said an emotional goodbye to her after a birthday visit in February.

Taking to Instagram, Ronan shared a snap of Storm and Missy hugging as he said: ‘Always hard to say goodbye. I’m not crying you’re crying. Well Most importantly Happy Birthday my brilliant daughter. Love you so much moo. 

‘You are such a bloody brave strong woman. Storm and I loved seeing you stand on your own two feet In the city that never sleeps.

‘Storm Jack Ali Coops Coco and I are all so proud of you. Enjoy your Day. Love you always Dad X.’

Missy replied under the post saying: ‘Love you so much [heart emoji] thank you dad. Best couple days with you both. Missing you already.’

Jamie Oliver’s daughter Poppy

Jamie Oliver’s daughter Poppy also embarked on the ‘adventure of a lifetime’ in Sydney, Australia, and only recently returned home.

The 22-year-old graduated from Leeds University in July 2023 with a degree in English and Creative Writing and later flocked to the other side of the globe with her boyfriend Ben.

Like many post-graduates, Poppy seemingly wanted to get her stint of travelling in before bagging a job.

Her doting dad even made the the trip to visit last year and the duo completed the Sydney BridgeClimb together.

Appearing on Jamie Laing and Sophie Habboo’s NewlyWeds podcast in October, Jamie revealed that his daughter had returned from her travels.

He admitted: ‘[It was] very emotional. I kept it quiet for two days because I was working super long days, and I knew that I couldn’t take her home at a normal time and appreciate the excitement of having her back.

‘So, she stayed in London, got over jet lag, freshened up, and then we took her home last night. Very emotional. Mum had no idea.’

Wishing her a happy birthday in March of this year, Jamie emotionally penned: ‘Happy 22nd birthday Poppy Oliver!! I can’t believe my first baby has come of age and flown the nest all the way to glorious Australia.

‘Have a wonderful day my darling sweet girl, I miss you so so much and I’m gutted we can’t be with you in Sydney today celebrating! but most importantly I know your happy.’

He candidly continued: ‘I’ve found it very hard letting go of my baby girl and being apart so long but knowing your joyfully blossoming into a kind, grounded, hard working young lady makes it worth it ! Love you pops xxx Dad.’

In October 2023, Jools took to Instagram to share a few snaps of their goodbye and admitted the farewell was a parenting milestone she didn’t enjoy.

She wrote: ‘Oh my word well that was SO hard another milestone of parenting that I am not that into!

‘Have the time of your life little pops we are so proud of you and Ben make the most of every single minute and have the adventure of a lifetime. It goes without saying that each and everyone one of us are going to miss you so deeply.’

Gary Barlow’s daughter Emily

Gary Barlow’s daughter Emily also took the plunge and moved thousands of miles away from her family by relocating to Melbourne three years ago.

The 22-year-old offspring of the Take That star recently reunited with her dad, who is currently embarking on a year-long tour with the band.

With one of the Australian dates being Melbourne, the singer made the most of the opportunity to spend time with his daughter, writing on Instagram that they had a ‘wonderful two days’ together.

He shared a snap of the father-daughter duo smiling as they posed next to a picturesque beach.

Speaking to the crowd at Take That’s Sydney concert, Gary joked that his daughter ‘decided to move as far away from us as possible,’ according to news.com.au. 

He explained: ‘She absolutely loves it here. She loves the people here and you’ve all made her feel so welcome.’

The Shine hitmaker has previously opened up about how ‘proud’ he was of Emily after she decided to head off to university in 2022 for a four-year course.

The youngster had initially planned to go onto higher education in 2020, but had her plans scuppered by COVID-19.

At the time, Gary told Zoe Ball on her BBC radio show: ‘They are pretty good, one is at university. One is taking a year off, was meant to be going to uni but she doesn’t want to with all this going, on which I completely understand.’

Davina McCall’s daughter Tilly Robertson 

Davina McCall’s daughter Tilly Robertson joined the British nepo babies who have flocked to Oz, moving when she was just 19 years old in 2023.

The TV host shares her three children with Matthew Robertson, and Tilly headed Down Under to start the ‘next chapter’ of her life. 

Tilly regularly shares bikini-clad snaps on Instagram as she enjoys her new life on the sunnier side of the world. 

Last December, she joked on Instagram: ‘Christmas will be spent in a bikini this year.’ 

She also referred to herself as the ‘luckiest girl alive’ as she shared another snap taken from Shoal Bay Beach in Port Stephens.

Davina has since made the trip to visit Tilly multiple times and in December shared on Instagram: ‘I’m a bit quiet on here atm coz I’m in Australia seeing Tilly !!! Yayyyyy! ( my youngest daughter).

‘And my family…. Had terrible jet lag this am but a run sorted me out … running by the sea is EPIC!!! Back soon x what’s happening?’ (sic).’

Before taking the plunge and packing her bags for sunny Sydney, Davina recalled Tilly meeting all her friends to say goodbye – something she says was difficult to watch as she desperately wanted to spend time with her daughter before she left.

Speaking on the Spinning Plates podcast with Sophie Ellis-Bextor in January 2023, Davina was asked by the singer: ‘How do you feel about one of your kids being in an Australian city?’ 

Davina replied: ‘I had such an interesting thing, I spoke to my partner about her pre-leaving and everything.

‘Michael was saying go out for dinner as much as you can, sit down and have one-to-one meals, go and talk to her in her bedroom, you know, go and do things together, spend as much time together as possible.

‘Before she went, she didn’t want to spend any time with me at all!

‘She was off to Newcastle seeing her sister, visiting other friends, saying goodbye to all her mates, I was talking to Michael and I was like ‘Agh I’m really struggling with this!’

‘And he said, ‘Davina let’s go back to when you were 19. What were you doing?’ and I said I was leaving home and moving into a room in someone’s flat.

‘And he said, ‘How did you feel?’ and I said, ‘Oh my god I was so excited’.

‘He said, ‘Were you thinking about your parent’s feelings and how they felt about you leaving?’ and I said no.

He went, ‘There you go. It’s not even on her radar, that you are pining. And don’t telll her you’re pining because it’ll just make her feel bad about going and this is the most exciting thing she’s ever done’.

‘I was like, ‘That is the best advice ever’. So I’ve just sort of sucked it up and whenever she went, ‘No, I can’t do that night!’, I just go, ‘Ah well I’m really happy you’re having a good time, lets try and get together for at least one dinner before you go!’

‘And she said ‘Yeah definitely!’, and we did. It was just kind of funny, just trying to be brave. Wept all the way home from the airport obviously.

‘But wept with pride I think, to see her skip off, look so happy and excited about this new chapter and where that might take her back here, it might take her to a different country in the world, who knows?’

Bob Geldof and Paula Yates’ daughter Tiger Lily 

Tiger Lily Hutchence-Geldof, who’s famous parents are Bob Geldof and Paula Yates, also enjoys a quieter life away from the UK.

The 28-year-old was adopted by Bob after the death of her father INXS frontman Michael Hutchence in 1997.

Tiger Lily, whose full name is Heavenly Hiraani Tiger Lily Hutchence Geldof, lives in the bohemian seaside town of Fremantle, south of Perth, where she has started a career as a musician.

And she and her British boyfriend Ben Archer seem to be enjoying the sunny lifestyle as they brought in 2024 with an early morning beach stroll on New Years Day.

Her life is now a paradise of surfing, meditation and yoga – a world away from the gritty London drugs scene that killed both her mother in 2000, and her half-sister Peaches, who also died of a heroin overdose aged 25, in 2014. 

It was after graduating in 2019 that Tiger Lily decided to move to Australia, where she has been privately reclaiming her Hutchence lineage, reconnecting with his friends and family.

She has been enjoying the alternative-folk music scene locally, performing with friends at local bars in nearby Perth. 

She previously said: ‘I had always been shy to sing with others but moving across the world and my ex-boyfriend Nick had given me some bravery.

‘Something about living closer to nature meant I felt creative and open-hearted. It was as if the wide open landscape of Australia had finally given my heart enough space to open properly.’

In September 2020, she made her stage debut in Perth, performing at the venue Barbes under the stage name Heavenly.

She sang and played keyboard in a band featuring her then-boyfriend, Pond frontman Nick Allbrook.

Tiger was previously romantically linked to the Aussie musician, but the pair called it quits after six years in April last year. 

Now, according to Woman’s Day, Tiger Lily and her current partner Ben have been ‘inseparable’.

‘His family adore her and she loves that they’re so normal compared to hers,’ a source told the magazine in January

‘Things are getting very serious between them. Everyone’s expecting an engagement announcement any day now.’

According to the insider, Ben has ‘completely swept her off her feet’ and he’s ‘everything she wants in a man’.

The couple are understood to have taken the next step in their relationship after Tiger flew Ben to Perth to meet her family.

‘Ben’s completely disarmed her and for the first time she can see a future of weddings, babies and something she’s never had – a family… Taking him to Perth was a big step,’ the insider added.