1. Recording

2. Significant earthquakes
     Exmouth 1906    Kalgoorlie 1917   Meeberrie Station 1941  Yallingup 1946  Gabalong 1955  Busselton 1959  Near Brookton 1963  Meckering 1968  Lake Tobin 1970  Calingiri 1970 & 1971  Cadoux 1979  Collier Bay 1997  Burakin Swarm 2000–01  South of Albany 2001  Kalgoorlie 2010  Lake Muir 2018 

3. Southwest region earthquakes

4. See also

5. Notes

Earthquakes have occurred in Western Australia (WA) on a regular basis throughout its geological history.

In 1849, the first earthquake following European settlement in WA was recorded. "On Saturday last, about a quarter past four o'clock a.m., several inhabitants of Perth were awoke by what they conceived to be a slight shock of an earthquake."^[1][2]

The largest earthquake (magnitude 7.2 – 7.3) documented occurred in 1941, at Meeberrie, in the Murchison region. Like many earthquakes it remained little known, due to its lack of impact on urban areas. Because the Meckering earthquake of 1968 caused injuries to at least 17 people and extensive property damage, it was the best-known earthquake in Western Australia the late twentieth century.

Recording

Prior to scientific equipment being utilised to record earthquakes, newspaper reports appear to be the main source of historical information.^[3]

Significant earthquakes

Western Australia's largest recorded earthquake to date was at Meeberrie station, north of Mullewa, in April 1941. See the separate section below.

The Cadoux earthquake of 1979 with magnitude 6.1 caused surface rupturing, about 15 km long.^[6]

Earthquakes at Meckering, Calingiri (several during 1970 and 1971) and Cadoux led to the identification of a zone of seismicity known as the South West Seismic Zone.^[7] This zone has now been significantly mapped and analysed and is the most active zone in Western Australia.^[8]

Exmouth 1906

The earthquake which occurred in 1906 about 400 km NW of Exmouth occurred before world earthquake monitoring had really developed. With an estimated magnitude of 7.5, it is probably the largest earthquake known to have occurred in the Australian region.^[9][10]

Kalgoorlie 1917

On 28 August 1917, tremor was reported near midnight in Kalgoorlie, which resulted in an underground rock fall, killing one miner and injuring several others.^[11] Also in the 1990s further seismic activity required consideration of seismic activity.^[12]

Meeberrie Station 1941

The largest earthquake to date in Western Australia was on 29 April 1941 at Meeberrie at 01.35.39 am (Lat −26.90 and Long 115.80) with a magnitude of 7.3. (Some sources give 7.2.)^[13][14][15]

All the walls of the homestead were cracked, several rainwater tanks burst, & widespread cracking of the ground occurred. Although questionnaires were distributed by the WA Government Astronomer, there has been scant updated information received on known damage.|||^[16][17]}}

Yallingup 1946

On 20 April 1946 a magnitude 5.7 earthquake occurred near Yallingup at 9:13pm on 19 April 1946 (5:13 local time on 20 April), which was felt at Kirup. A tremor was reported at 5:30 am at Caves House Yallingup and at Busselton on 30 April, which is probably the same event, reported on the wrong date.^[18]

Gabalong 1955

Gabalong, 30 August 1955, magnitude 5.8 Gabalong, a small community about 30 km east of Moora and 200 km NNE of Perth. The earthquake, at 9.52 pm local time, was felt at MM VI at Yericoin and Miling, and MM V in Moora. It was felt in Perth at intensities between MM II and MM IV, and at Dongara at MM II.

It was preceded by a magnitude 5.3 earthquake at the same location at 2.09 pm on the same day. It was a SouthWest Seismic Zone earthquake, and because of the poor location capabilities at the time, may well be related to a series of earthquakes near Yericoin, which started with a magnitude 5.1 earthquake on 2 May 1949.^[19]

Busselton 1959

A magnitude 5.0 earthquake occurred at 12:07 GMT on 3 October (8.07 pm local time) at 34.5 degrees south, 114.5 degrees east. It was felt at Busselton, Yallingup, Margaret River, Bunbury, Cape Naturaliste and Cape Leeuwin.^[20]

Near Brookton 1963

18 January 1963 at Nourning Spring, approximately 20 km NE of Brookton and approximately 100 km ESE of Perth. It was felt at Intensity VII at Nourning Springs, VI at Brookton, and MM II at Perth. It occurred at 1:49 pm local time, and had a magnitude of 5.4, although it was given a magnitude of 4.9 originally. Many earthquake questionnaires were distributed for this event, and a good isoseismal map was prepared.^[21]

Meckering 1968

On the 14th of October 1968 at 10:59am, an earthquake registering 6.9 on the Richter scale occurred 100km east of Perth in Meckering, Western Australia [2]. Injuring 20 people, causing over 2 million dollars in damage and felt in towns 650km away, it is Western Australia's most destructive earthquake to date.

The hypocentre occurred 7km below the earth's surface in the Yandanooka/Cape Riche Lineamen region located east of Meckering. The fault trended on a 32km north-south arc. Through strike-slip the eastern side of the arc shoved 2m westward, 1.5m upwards and 0.9m in a southerly direction which left a distinct trench in its path. This intraplate earthquake is thought to be caused through east-west compressional force within the southwest seismic zone.

Lake Tobin 1970

24 March 1970, magnitude 6.7 near Lake Tobin in the Canning Basin, was the first in a location which had many more earthquakes over the following years. In all, there were three earthquakes of magnitude 6.0 or more (24/3/70, M 6.7, 16/7/71, M6.4 and 3/10/75, M 6.2), and 25 earthquakes of magnitude 5.0 or more, the last of which occurred on 13/2/1982.^[22]

Calingiri 1970 & 1971

An earthquake struck the Wheatbelt town of Calingiri on 10 March 1970^[23]

with a magnitude of 5.9. No buildings were damaged despite the epicentre being {{cvt|3|km}} from the town and the surface being uplifted as much as {{cvt|30|cm}}.^[24]

Cadoux 1979

On 2 June 1979 the second-most damaging earthquake in Western Australia's recorded history hit with a magnitude of 6.1. The epicentre was close to the town of Cadoux in the Wheatbelt region about {{cvt|165|km}} north east of Perth, Western Australia. One person was injured and 25 building were damaged along with roads, railways and power-lines over an area of {{cvt|4|ha}}. The total amount of damage was around {{AUD}}3.8 million.^[25].

Collier Bay 1997

This earthquake, 10 Aug 1997, magnitude 6.3 just off the WA north coast, was the largest Australian earthquake since the magnitude 6.7 earthquake near Tennant Creek, in the Northern Territory, in January 1988.^[26]

Burakin Swarm 2000–01

Located near Cadoux (but not on the same physical feature) the Burakin event was named the most significant seismic activity in 40 years.^[27]

South of Albany 2001

This very large earthquake on 12 Dec 2001, magnitude 7.1 occurred about 1000 km southeast of Albany. It was felt in Albany. It was an intraplate earthquake, as it occurred about 1000 km north of the (constructive) boundary between the Indo-Australian and Antarctic plates.^[28]

Kalgoorlie 2010

On 20 April 2010, a magnitude 5.0 earthquake occurred close to Kalgoorlie.^[29] The quake caused damage to a number of hotels along Burt street in Boulder and an underpass also on Burt street collapsed. Work in the Superpit and many other mines around Kalgoorlie was also stopped.^[30]

Lake Muir 2018

On 16 September 2018 a magnitude 5.7 earthquake occurred with its epicentre close to Lake Muir^[31] in the South West region. On 13 October another earthquake with a magnitude of 4.7 was recorded^[32] followed by a magnitude 5.4 earthquake on 9 November.^[33]

Southwest region earthquakes

See also

• List of earthquakes in Australia

Notes

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