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Country profile · USGS ComCat

Earthquakes in Australia

Australia ranks 53rd of 215 countries by catalogued seismic activity - a moderately seismically active country. Below: the full M6+ event history, magnitude and depth profile, and yearly trend, straight from USGS data.

279
M4+ events (since 2005)
10
Major M6+ (since 1900)
M6.7
Strongest
~13
M4+ per year

The verdict

Australia has logged 279 M4+ earthquakes since 2005 and 10 major M6+ events since 1900, the strongest reaching magnitude 6.7.

#53
of 215 countries by M4+ activity
279
catalogued M4+ events (2005–present)
M6.7
strongest earthquake on record
10
major M6+ events since 1900

Average catalogued magnitude is 4.5 - most events are moderate M4–5 tremors that are felt but rarely cause damage.

Major (M6+) earthquakes in Australia by year

Count of significant (magnitude 6.0+) events catalogued each year

Value

What this shows Australia's most active year for major earthquakes was 1988 (3 M6+ events). Major-quake counts are irregular, they track the episodic release of tectonic stress, not a smooth trend.

Source USGS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog (ComCat) As of 2025

Magnitude distribution of major events

Breakdown of the 10 significant (M6+) earthquakes on record for Australia.

M6.0-6.9

10

100.0%

Depth of major earthquakes

Hypocentral depth of the 10 M6+ events, shallow quakes shake the surface hardest. Average depth: 9 km.

Shallow (<70 km)

10

100.0% of events

Intermediate (70–300 km)

0

0.0% of events

Deep (>300 km)

0

0.0% of events

Strongest earthquakes in Australia

The 10 most powerful events on record (USGS, since 1900).

Mag Location Depth
6.7 38 km WSW of Tennant Creek, Australia 5.0 km
6.6 198 km W of Cable Beach, Australia 10.0 km
6.5 40 km ENE of Northam, Australia 11.2 km
6.3 Northern Territory, Australia 15.0 km
6.3 161 km NNE of Derby, Australia 10.0 km
6.3 33 km WSW of Tennant Creek, Australia 5.0 km
6.3 46 km WSW of Tennant Creek, Australia 5.0 km
6.2 157 km NNW of Melville, Australia 15.0 km
6.1 104 km NNE of Northam, Australia 6.0 km
6.0 116 km WSW of Yulara, Australia 10.0 km

Significant earthquake record (10 events)

Every catalogued magnitude-6.0-and-above earthquake in Australia since 1900, most recent first.

Mag Location Depth
6.6 198 km W of Cable Beach, Australia 10.0 km
6.0 116 km WSW of Yulara, Australia 10.0 km
6.3 161 km NNE of Derby, Australia 10.0 km
6.7 38 km WSW of Tennant Creek, Australia 5.0 km
6.3 33 km WSW of Tennant Creek, Australia 5.0 km
6.3 46 km WSW of Tennant Creek, Australia 5.0 km
6.1 104 km NNE of Northam, Australia 6.0 km
6.5 40 km ENE of Northam, Australia 11.2 km
6.3 Northern Territory, Australia 15.0 km
6.2 157 km NNW of Melville, Australia 15.0 km

Countries with similar seismic activity

Comparable catalogued earthquake frequency to Australia.

Albania

273 M4+ events · strongest M6.4

M6.4

Honduras

269 M4+ events · strongest M7.5

M7.5

Djibouti

260 M4+ events · strongest M5.5

M5.5

Russia region

251 M4+ events · strongest M7.7

M7.7

Algeria

245 M4+ events · strongest M6.0

M6.0

Mayotte

232 M4+ events · strongest M5.9

M5.9

Understand the data

How earthquakes are measured

Magnitude scales, seismographs, and depth.

Reading earthquake data

Interpreting magnitude, depth and frequency.

Earthquake preparedness

Before, during and after a quake.

Frequently asked questions

How many earthquakes have occurred in Australia? ▼
The USGS catalog records 279 earthquakes of magnitude 4.0 or greater in Australia since 2005, an average of about 13 per year. Separately, 10 significant (M6+) earthquakes are catalogued back to 1900.
What was the strongest earthquake in Australia? ▼
The strongest catalogued earthquake in Australia measured magnitude 6.7. Across the full M4+ catalog the average magnitude is 4.5 - most earthquakes are moderate.
How seismically active is Australia? ▼
By catalogued M4+ activity, Australia ranks 53rd of 215 countries worldwide - a moderately seismically active country. Its busiest year for major (M6+) events was 1988, with 3.
How deep are earthquakes in Australia? ▼
Across the 10 major (M6+) events on record, the average depth is 9 km. 100% were shallow (under 70 km), where surface shaking is strongest at a given magnitude.
Where does this data come from? ▼
Every figure is derived from the USGS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog (ComCat). M4+ counts cover 2005 onward (the period of consistent global completeness); the significant-event series covers M6+ back to 1900. Nothing is modelled or estimated.

About this data

Every figure on this page is computed directly from the USGS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog (ComCat), the public-domain record maintained by the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program. Two series are combined: a worldwide catalog of magnitude-4.0-and-above events from 2005 onward, the period over which the global seismograph network reliably detects and locates earthquakes everywhere, and a historical series of significant magnitude-6.0-and-above events stretching back to 1900. Magnitudes use the moment-magnitude scale (Mw), the modern standard that supersedes the older Richter scale; because the scale is logarithmic, each whole step represents roughly thirty-two times more energy released. Depth is measured in kilometres from the surface, and shallow earthquakes generally produce stronger shaking than deep ones of the same magnitude. Counts reflect what instruments recorded, not every tremor that occurred, and recent events can be revised as seismologists refine the catalog.

Source: USGS ComCat, verify with USGS → · See our methodology for the full pipeline.

Disclaimer: PlainQuake is an informational reference for informational purposes only, not an emergency or early-warning service, and not professional engineering or safety advice. For official alerts and guidance, consult the USGS and your local emergency authorities. See our full disclaimer.