Australia's national flag has been projected onto the Swiss Alps in an illuminated message of hope and solidarity during the global coronavirus pandemic.

The blue, red, and white emblem was projected onto Mount Matterhorn early in the morning on Thursday, local time.

The 4,478-metre mountain overlooks Zermatt, a town in southern Switzerland.

Australia is having a hard time with the bush fires and now the Coronavirus. Today we think of the Australian people and send hope and courage to get through the crisis well. #Australia #Zermatt #Matterhornhttps://t.co/qFjiKuZNsE pic.twitter.com/qFKgakRlbp — Zermatt - Matterhorn (@zermatt_tourism) April 23, 2020

Daniel Luggen, spa director of Zermatt-Matterhorn, said the projections were a message to the rest of the world.

"Since almost a month, we're illuminating every night the Matterhorn with different symbols, to give the people hope and show our solidarity to the world," Mr Luggen said in a video posted to Facebook on Wednesday evening, Australian time.

The projections - a project by light artist Gerry Hofstetter - are also "to say thank you to all these people working hard during this crisis," Mr Luggen said.

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The video shows the national flags of numerous other countries including China, Italy, and the United States also projected onto Mount Matterhorn.

"It's empty and quiet in Zermatt and that makes us sad, but soon we look forward to (having) you back here," Mr Luggen said.