Athletics Australia announced that they are to set-up a pre-Games training camp at Tonbridge School, one of the country's leading boys' boarding schools.

Belarus, Ukraine and Slovenia have already agreed to train in Kent before the Olympic Games while Barbados are heading there before the Paralympics.

The official signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) took place between Kent County Council Cabinet Member for Community Services Mike Hill and Athletics Australia President Rob Fildes with high performance director Eric Hollingsworth also in attendance.

Also present and supporting the event were Colin Moynihan, chairman of the British Olympic Association, and double Olympic gold medallist Dame Kelly Holmes, who is from Tonbridge.

Athletics Australia selected the Tonbridge School thanks to the international-standard sports facilities, excellent accommodation and other support services on offer, and the support of Kent County Council, FIldes said.

"Competing with Northern Hemisphere rivals is a continued challenge for the Australian team, which spends up to five months of each year travelling for competition, and a key consideration is the time it takes to acclimatise to the weather conditions, time differences and cultural changes," said Hollingsworth, formerly one of Britain's top decathletes.

"Tonbridge is the perfect base for us to hone our final preparations as we go to battle with the world and of course our old rival, England.

"It’s the UK’s warmest pocket, the facilities are world-class and it’s just 40 minutes from London.

"The Tonbridge School and Kent team are flexible and will work with us to ensure our athletes have everything they need before stepping onto the world stage."

Australia's swimming team have already signed a deal to train in Manchester before London 2012 while the Paralympic squad is planning to base itself in Wales.

But this is a major coup for Kent as Australia will be one of the most high-profile teams competing in London.

Chris Hespe, Kent's head of Sport, Leisure and Olympics Service, said: "Our aim is to bring the Olympics and Paralympics into Kent and build long-term educational, cultural, sporting, tourism and economic links.

"There are now more nations signed up to train in Kent than any other county in the UK with agreements also signed with Ukraine, Belarus and Slovenia."

Athletics Australia hopes to field a squad of approximately 40 athletes at London 2012, including Olympic pole vault champion Steve Hooker (pictured) and world discus champion Dani Samuels.

"Our athletes have so much talent and terrific endeavour and I am sure the likes of our world and Olympic champion Steve Hooker, Sally Pearson, Jared Tallent and our long jumpers Fabrice Lapierre and Mitchell Watt will show that to the world,” said Fildes.

The Olympics in London will be wonderful and we are very fortunate to have such an outstanding base at Tonbridge; now we just have to convert the locals to supporting the green and gold.”

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