Australia does not exist.

That's the position being adopted by a number of flat-earth conspiracy theorists, it seems, after a viral Facebook rant declared the nation is in fact an elaborately-constructed ruse.

The hypothesis resurfaced at a recent Flat Earthers conference in Birmingham, in the UK - where more than 200 people congregated to discuss their steadfast belief that planet earth is flat.

A viral Facebook rant has alleged that Australia is not real, but in fact an elaborately-constructed lie used as a cover-up for 'one of the greatest mass murders in history'

The hypothesis, which has since been deleted from social media, resurfaced at a recent Flat Earthers conference in Birmingham, UK - where more than 200 people congregated to discuss their steadfast belief that planet earth is flat

The 'fake Australia' tack is not a particularly new angle on flat earth theory: the original post, penned by Shelley Floryd, first picked up steam on Reddit in early 2017.

But its assertions have, for better or worse, remained a talking point among the online community for the past twelve months.

'Australia is not real,' the rant begins.

'It's a hoax, made for us to believe that Britain moved over their criminals to someplace. In reality, all these criminals were loaded off the ships into the waters, drowning before they could see land ever again.

'It's a coverup [sic] for one of the greatest mass murders in history.'

Floryd declares that 'All things you call 'proof' are actually well fabricated lies... made by the leading governments of the world'; that 'Your Australian friends [are] all actors and computer generated personas'

She also states that 'If you think you've ever been to Australia, you're terribly wrong' - claiming that pilots have in fact been flying to other islands or 'parts of South America, where they have cleared space and hired actors to act out as real Australians'

The post goes on to summarise the Australian way of life as 'swear words and actions based on alcoholism, MDMA and bad decisions'

Floryd goes on to declare that 'All things you call 'proof' are actually well fabricated lies... made by the leading governments of the world'; that 'Your Australian friends [are] all actors and computer generated personas.'

And, perhaps most audaciously, that 'If you think you've ever been to Australia, you're terribly wrong.'

Floryd alleges the plane pilots are all in on the hoax, and that travelers to Australia have in fact only been flown to other islands or 'parts of South America, where they have cleared space and hired actors to act out as real Australians.'

'Australia... is a codeword for the cold blooded murder of more than a hundred thousand people, and it is not okay,' she concluded, alongside the hashtag 'AustraliaisNOTreal'

The Australian way of life - which Floryd summarises as 'swear words and actions based on MDMA, alcoholism and bad decisions' - is little more than a distraction.

'Make sure to spread the world [sic],' she concludes. 'Australia is not real.'

'It's a codeword for the cold-blooded murder of more than a hundred thousand people, and it is not okay.

'We will not, accept this.'

It's not entirely clear whether Floryd actually believes in any of the points she makes, or if the post itself is a carefully-constructed hoax.

In any case, the theory of the great Australian lie continues to be picked up and propagated by flat earth theorists across social media.