Seismicity of Western Australia - Recent Australian Seismicity

AUSTRALIAN EARTHQUAKES

Earthquake activity in Australia is monitored by Geoscience Australia, which is based in Canberra, ACT. Information on recent earthquakes in Australia can be found on their web site www.ga.gov.au. Data given here is a summary of data provided by Geoscience Australia website.

EARTHQUAKES 2008 (Mag 4.0 and above)

DATE	G.M.T.	LAT	LONG	MAG	REGION

06 Feb	0646	13.402	129.664	4.2	170 Km SW of Darwin
13 Feb	2157	27.551	146.651	4.2	110 km NE of Cunamulla, Qsld
31 March	0827	27.666	112.332	4.4	250 km WNW of Geralton

EARTHQUAKES 2007 (Mag 3.5 and above)

DATE
G.M.T.
LAT
LONG
MAG
REGION
28 Jan 2031 30.799 138.616 3.5 SE of Leigh Ck., SA
15 Feb 1538 25.967 113.276 5.3 Shark Bay, WA
28 Feb 2022 18.723 123.232 3.5 Gt Sandy Desert, WA
3 Mar 1019 23.519 136.696 3.6 East of Alice Springs
06 Mar 0407 29.933 124.341 3.9 Gt Victoria Desert WA
08 Mar 0234 37.982 145.74 3.5 East of Melbourne
06 June 0809 31.386 111.649 3.5 off-shore, WA
30 June 1406 30.77 117.157 3.8 E of Cadoux, WA
01 July 1357 22.977 128.662 3.9 S of Lake MacKay, WA
05 Aug 0712 33.185 117.648 3.5 Dumbleyung, WA
25 Aug 0606 26.495 151.432 3.5 N of Dalby, Qsld
28 Aug 1533 35.429 115.942 4.6 SE of Augusta, WA
08 Sep 1029 40.5 145.09 3.8 N of Smithton, Tas
16 Sept 2318 31.392 138.523 4.8 Parachilna, SA
06 Oct 0239 36.07 136.11 4.2 W. of Kangaroo Is, SA
09 Oct 2358 33.946 117.505 4.8 Broome Hill, WA
04 Nov 1219 23.872 114.74 4.0 NE of Carnarvon, WA
05 Nov 0637 21.772 129.542 3.5 E of Lake MacKay WA
07 Nov 1910 23.856 114.745 4.4 NE of Carnarvon, WA
13 Nov 0659 37.675 140.097 3.9 near Millicent, S.A.
19 Nov 2001 12.336 143.735 4.8 200 Km E of Weipa
27 Nov 0248 23.219 115.047 3.7 250 km SE of Exmouth, WA
12 Dec 0836 40.371 144.665 3.5 NW of Smithton,Tasmania
13 Dec 0529 12.537 122.823 3.8 Ashmore reef, NW WA
26 Dec 1536 32.086 138.383 4.7 South of Hawker SA
EARTHQUAKES 2006 - (Mag 3.5 and above)
DATE G.M.T. LAT (S) LONG (E) MAG REGION
19 Jan 0016 40.75 146.39 3.6 off Devonport, Tasmania
25 Jan 1158 34.203 135.463 3.5 Yeelanna, S.A.
29 Jan 0940 21.676 113.446 3.4 W. of Exmouth, WA
04 Feb 1631 37.564 148.183 3.9 NW of Orbost, Vic
09 feb 0416 32.872 138.13 3.5 N of Pt. Pirie SA, Felt
11 Mar 1035 35.802 136.702 3.5 W of Kingscote, SA
01 Apr 0109 25.992 130.985 3.7 S of Yulara, SA
02 Apr 0839 22.131 118.66 4.0 NE of Tom Price, WA
02 May 1006 26.042 137.216 3.6 500 km SE of Alice Springs
13 May 0104 27.719 135.992 5.1 50 km SE of Oodnadatta, S.A.
24 May 2134 23.012 130.035 3.9 400 km west of Alice Springs
06 June 1534 25.032 117.44 4.5 200 km NW of Meekatharra
12 June 2243 25.061 117.556 3.9
200 km NW of Meekatharra
15 June 0801 32.093 139.179 3.8 150 km ENE of Port Augusta, S.A.
07 July 2348 31.381 138.682 4.0 150 km NE of Port Augusta, S.A.
27 July 1038 30.928 139.276 3.9 SE of Leigh Creek, SA
28 July 0549 18.1 147.72 3.9 Offshore Ingham, Qsld
12 Aug 0220 32.82 138.075 3.5 W of Melrose, SA
02 Sep 1547 24.43 116.41 3.5 NW of Landor, WA - felt
29 Sep 1249 44.36 145.01 4.4 SW of Hobart, Tasmania
21 Oct 0951 34.036 149.16 4.2 South east of Cowra - felt widely
22 Oct 1236 37.87 145.03 2.8 Caulfield, Vic - felt widely
07 Dec 1058 25.19 117.47 3.3 SW of Mt. Clere, WA
14 Dec 1723 42.79 143.56 4.4 West of Tasmania
26 Dec 0729 38.36 111.87 5.0 800 km SSW of Perth
.
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EARTHQUAKES 2005 - Mag 4.0 and above
DATE
G.M.T.
MAG
LATITUDE
LONGITUDE
REGION
24 Jan 2005 0943 3.8 -17.53 122.587 NE of Broome WA*
23 Feb 2005 1935 3.9 -14.632 122.064 Scott Reef off WA*
3 Mar 2005 1057 4.0 -30.90 139.14 SE of Leigh Creek, SA
13 Mar 2005 0209 4.6 -26.15 131.64 W of Ernabella, SA
16 Mar 2005 0127 4.2 -30.64 117.46 N of Koorda, WA
19 Mar 2005 0729 4.1 -26.091 130.868 Central Desert, NT
22 Mar 2005 1951 4.4 -21.00 119.61 NW of Marble Bar, WA
12 Apr 2005 1200 4.0 -30.56 117.00 W of Burakin,WA
01 May 2005 0943 4.1 -30.19 117.91
N of Beacon, WA
14 May 2005 1953 4.5 -31.0 139.15 North Flinders Ra., SA
18 May 2005 2339 4.6 -20.11 119.37 E of Port Hedland, WA
12 Jun 2005 1051 4.3 -30.80 117.11 SW of Cadoux,WA
12 Jun 2005 2036 4.5 -30.56 117.03 W of Burakin,WA
12 July 2005 0757 3.5 -31.49 138.52 N of Hawker, SA*
03 Aug 2005 0502 3.8 -19.90 133.88 Tennant Ck. NT*
14 Sep 2005 0512 4.4 -19.87 134.10 Tennant Creek,NT
21 Sep 2005 2246 4.0 -30.146 117.165
N of Kalannie, WA
22 Sep 2005 0352 4.1 -30.126 117.173 NE of Kalannie. WA
18 Oct 2005 1613 3.4 -19.868 134.101 S of Tennant Ck*
25 Nov 2005 2032 3.6 -30.134 117.195 N of Kallannie*
28 Dec 2005 2054 4.1 -28.191 147.894 St George Qsld
* indicates largest earthquake for that month
Below -Australian Earthquakes, Mag 3.0 & above, 2005
Legend : 3.0 - 3.9 - Mauve, 4.0 - 4.4 - Blue, 4.5-4.9 Red
Note - there are 70 events plotted on the map above. Most of these are in the magnitude range 3.0 - 3.9, and are in the south west of Western Australia, but are not visible because they fall on the same location of other events. Refer to the section on Western Australia for more information.

SEISMIC ENERGY RELEASE, 2005 - 2006

The magnitude scale for earthquakes is logarithmic, and most of the seismic energy released in any month comes from the larger events. Using the tables above, the energy released in each month has been summed, and converted back to an equivalent single earthquake for the whole month. The result is graphed below

This graph indicates how seismic energy release in Australia over the last two years was dominated by events in May 2005 and March 2005

EARTHQUAKES 2004 - Mag 4.0 and above

DATE
PLACE
MAG
LAT
LONG
16 Jan 2004 SE of Monto, Qsld 4.4 -25.072 151.275
17 Jan 2004 S of Broome, WA 4.0 -18.783 122.396
23 Jan 2004 N of Balladonia, WA 4.3 -31.672 123.549
11 Feb 2004 Mt. Redvers, NT 5.4 -22.68 129.82
11 Feb 2004 Mt. Redvers, NT
5.0
-22.74 129.87
05 Mar 2004 SE of Cocklebiddy 4.4 -32.472 127.034
25 Sep 2004 SE of Kununurra,WA 4.0 -16.776 129.152
07 Dec 2004 East of Australia 5.1 -19.99 156.76

Below - Mt. Redvers earthquake 11 Feb 2004 (Mag 5.4) (Map by Geoscience Aust)

Below - the Mt. Redvers events as recorded on the seismograph at Muresk, WA

EARTHQUAKES 2003 - Mag 4.0 and above
DATE
PLACE
MAG
LATITUDE
LONGITUDE
01 Jan 2003 Tennant Ck 4.1 -19.84 133.98
11 Aug 2003 East of Ingham, Qsld 4.8 -18.44 147.11
22 Nov 2003 Hawker, SA 4.2 -31.61 138.78
11 Dec 2003 Bowral NSW 4.2 -34.48 150.44
05 Dec 2003 E of Fitzroy Xing, WA 4.8 -18.22 126.74
.
EARTHQUAKES 2002 - Mag 4.0 and above
DATE
PLACE
MAG
LATITUDE
LONGITUDE
7 Feb 2002 near King Is., TAS 4.1 -40.356 143.886
5 March 2002 Burakin WA 4.6 -30.495 131.075
30 March 2002 Burakin WA 5.2 -30.524 131.049
23 March Burakin WA 4.8 -30.521 131.065
5 April 2002 offshore Shark Bay, WA 4.1 -25.118 112.149
15 June 2002 Lake Sorrell, TAS 4.3 -42.124 147.425
24 Sept 2002 Fish Ck, Vic 4.0 -38.67 146.083
8 Oct 2002 Gascoyne Jn., WA 4.5 -25.263 115.498
15 Oct 2002 Nth of Pt. Hedland, WA 4.0 -19.051 118.012