SYDNEY, (Australia) - AUSTRALIA farewelled its team for the Beijing Paralympics on Monday, hopeful that the squad would be able to bring home the country's 1,000th medal since the Games began in 1960.

Australian Paralympians have collected 908 medals since the event was first held in Rome 48 years ago, and Chef de Mission Darren Peters said hopes were high that this year's team could take the haul into four figures.

'It's a hard task, but we're in the running for that and we could win the 1,000th medal in these Games,' he said. 'It's pretty exciting.' The prospect of 92 medals is not unrealistic given that the Australians won 100 - 26 gold, 38 silver and 36 bronze - at the 2004 Games in Athens.

Australia's team of 170 athletes and 121 supporting officials is among the largest country that has ever sent and Australian Paralympic Committee chairman Greg Hartung said it was the best the nation had ever assembled.

'They are big on talent and big on toughness and we will expect our athletes to perform at peak value for Australia,' Mr Hartung said.

The team was farewelled from Sydney by the wife of Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, Ms Therese Rein, whose father was a Paralympian in the 1950s in several sports including wheelchair basketball, archery and swimming.

'Sports was really meaningful for him and helped him to be the best he could be,' she said.

In the Federal Parliament, the Prime Minister said those competing at the Paralympics inspired all Australians.

'They are role models, not only as sportsmen and women, but also as extraordinary individuals,' Mr Rudd said. 'And we will be watching and we will be cheering and we will be proud of their every achievement.'

The 13th Paralympic Games, to include 4,000 athletes, will take place in Beijing from September 6 to 17. -- AFP