THE world's best-known atheist, anti-religion campaigner Richard Dawkins, will visit Melbourne for the biggest ever atheist convention next March, organisers announced yesterday.

Other speakers include P. Z. Myers, who runs the world's biggest science blog, philosophers Peter Singer and A.C. Grayling, former evangelical pastor Dan Barker, science journalist Robyn Williams, broadcaster Phillip Adams and Age columnist Catherine Deveny.

Atheist Foundation of Australia president David Nicholls said the conference at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre would be ''a history-making'' event.

''We think Australia is ripe for something like this because there's a lot of unhappiness, with atheists thinking they are not getting a fair cut of the pie, socially, psychologically or politically,'' Mr Nicholls said.

He said the conference was suggested by the Atheists' Alliance International, which holds its annual atheist conventions in the United States and wanted to branch out.

But the $500,000 conference, from March 12-14, would be funded solely by ticket sales, with speakers offering their services free.

BARNEY ZWARTZ