The Australian Paralympics team returns home from London with 85 medals, including 35 gold – an increase on the 79 medals and 23 gold won in Beijing.

Australia finished fifth overall on the medal tally from 166 countries, contesting in 13 of 20 sports and winning medals in nine different sports.

The swim team was the most outstanding with 18 gold medals, seven silver and 12 bronze headlined by Matt Cowdery and Jacqui Freney.

Freney becoming Australia’s most successful athlete at a single Games, winning all eight of her events surpassing the six gold’s of Siobhan Paton in Sydney.

One of the most inspiring of the 32 gold medals was the win from the wheelchair rugby team who prevailed over Canada 66-51 recording their first Gold in the event since it became part of the Games in 1996.

Unfortunately, Essendon supporter Jessica Gallagher missed out on the medals in both the Javelin and Long Jump events at the Games.

Gallagher, aiming to become the first female paralympian to win a medal at both the Summer and Winter Paralympics, was troubled by a knee injury throughout her campaign.

""Lack of training & competition from injury really showed in my jumps - Knee's very ready for surgery,"" Gallagher said.

Essendon Football Club and the Australian Paralympic Committee maintain a strong partnership in developing emerging Australia talent for the Paralympic movement through the club’s new High Performance Centre.

The High Performance Centre will be the Victorian base for the Australian Paralympic Committee and its state-based Paralympic athletes.