Kellerberrin, WA
A swarm of earthquakes occurred in the Kellerberrin area east of Perth through 1997, particularly during August and September.
This followed a similar swarm during 1996 March to May, when the largest events were of magnitude ML 3.1.
The largest events located in 1997 by the Mundaring Geophysical Obervatory, AGSO,were:
ML 4.6 Sun, 1997 Aug 31, 11:23 pm WST
ML 4.2 Wed, 1997 Sep 3, 01:12 pm WST
Mt Wills, Vic, ML 2.7
Monday, 1997 January 13, 11:50 am EDST
(January 13, 00:50 UT)
Followed by an aftershock of ML 2.2 at 12:12 pm EDST (01:12 UT)
Burra, SA, ML 5.0
Wed, 1997 March 5, 04:45 pm CDST
(March 5, 06:15 UT)
Located 15 km SSE of Burra and 130 km north of Adelaide, this event was felt over a wide area, but with only minor damage near the epicentre (MM 6). The cost to the insurance industry was estimated at up to $200,000, mainly in processing and asessment. It was the most widespread shaking in Adelaide since the 1954 Adelaide earthquake.
Following aftershocks:
ML 3.0 Wed, 1997 March 5, 06:23 pm CDST (March 5, 07:53 UT)
ML 2.3 Thu, 1997 March 6, 04:25 am CDST (March 5, 17:55 UT)
ML 3.5 Sun, 1997 March 16, 01:37 am CDST (March 15, 15:07 UT)
A temporary seismograph network installed by MESA and AGSO located aftershocks at a depth of 15 km, so the main shock was probably at this depth.
Located by Mines and Energy South Australia. Ref: Mountford, Love & Sinadinovski, 1997: The Burra ML 5.1 earthquake, Aust Earthquake Eng Soc 1997 Conf, Brisbane, paper 4, p1-4
Cootamundra, NSW, ML 3.3
Sat, 1997 August 23, 10:13 am EST
Preceded by a foreshock of magnitude ML 3.1 at 09:03 am EST.
Followed by aftershock of magnitude ML 2.4 at 08:44 pm EST.
Tatong, central Victoria
Aftershocks continued following the 1997 June Tatong ML 3.9 shock. A temporary seismograph network was installed at the site by the Seismology Research Centre during August. Activity continued through August. The largest two events were of magnitude ML 2.1, on August 21 and 22, and both were felt.
ML 2.0 Fri, 1997 Aug 1, 11:26 am EST
ML 2.1 Thu, 1997 Aug 21, 12:54 pm EST
ML 2.1 Fri, 1997 Aug 22, 09:15 am EST
Dalton, NSW
Three events in the Dalton area exceeded magnitude ML 2.0 during September.
ML 2.2 Wed, 1997 Sep 3, 06:39 pm EST
ML 2.6 Fri, 1997 Sep 5, 07:08 am EST
ML 2.6 Fri, 1997 Sep 5, 07:10 am EST (two minutes later)
Gunning, NSW, ML 2.0
Wednesday, 1997 January 1, 11:38 pm EDST
(January 1, 12:38 UT)
St George, Qld, ML 3.1
Thursday, 1997 January 2, 05:11 pm EST
(January 2, 07:11 UT)
Willow Grove, Vic, ML 2.5
Friday, 1997 January 10, 01:47 am EDST
(January 9, 14:47 UT)
Coleambally, NSW, ML 2.5
Saturday, 1997 January 11, 11:13 pm EDST
(January 11, 12:13 UT)
Cessnock, NSW, ML 2.5
Sunday, 1997 January 12, 01:31 pm EDST
(January 12, 02:31 UT)
Glenloth, Vic, ML 2.5
Thursday, 1997 January 16, 04:22 am EDST
(January 15, 17:22 UT)
Red Hill, Vic, ML 3.4
Monday, 1997 January 20, 10:03 pm EDST
(January 20, 11:03 UT)
Felt throughout the Mornington Peninsula, and in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne as far north as Doncaster. This earthquake was unusually deep for Victoria, occurring 19 km beneath the surface. No reports of damage have been confirmed.
Yarrangobilly, NSW, ML 2.9
Wednesday, 1997 January 22, 07:57 am EDST
(January 21, 20:57 UT)
Strzelecki Desert, SA, ML 4.5
Wednesday, 1997 February 5, 10:45 am CDST
(February 5, 00:15 UT)
Off Beachport, SA, ML 2.5
Tuesday, 1997 February 7, 07:40 am CDST
(February 6, 21:10 UT)
NW of Quorn, SA, ML 2.3
Tuesday, 1997 March 28, 09:12 pm CDST
(March 28, 10:42 UT)
Bass Strait, ML 2.9
Tuesday, 1997 April 1, 06:26 am EST
(March 31, 20:26 UT)
Parachilna, SA, ML 3.4
Fri, 1997 April 4, 01:26 am CST
Located by the Sutton Earthquake Centre, Minerals and Energy South Australia, Adelaide.
Pakenham, Vic, ML 2.3
Fri, 1997 April 4, 02:32 am EST
The epicentre was near Pakenham, about 55 km southeast of Melbourne. The event was felt in an area including Berwick, Cardinia, Cockatoo and Clyde.
East of Clare, SA, ML 3.3
Sun, 1997 April 13, 05:46 am CST
Located by the Sutton Earthquake Centre, Minerals and Energy South Australia, Adelaide.
Clare, SA, ML 3.6
Sun, 1997 May 4, 08:24 am CST
Located by the Sutton Earthquake Centre, Minerals and Energy South Australia, Adelaide.
Warragul, Vic, ML 3.1
Mon, 1997 May 5, 08:33 am EST
Felt in Warragul, Drouin & Cockatoo.
Launceston, Tas, ML 3.2
Tue, 1997 May 6, 06:03 pm EST
South of WA, ML 4.3
Fri, 1997 May 9, 02:31 pm WST
(May 9, 06:31 UT)
SE of Tibooburra, NSW, ML 3.1
Sun, 1997 May 18, 02:24 am EST
Oolong, NSW, ML 2.5
Fri, 1997 May 30, 03:40 am EST
Yuendumu, NT, ML 4.2
Tuesday, 1997 June 24, 08:14 am CST
(June 23, 20:44 UTC)
The epicentre was about 95 km south of Yuendumu in the MacDonnell Range of the Northern Territory.
The event was not widely felt because of the low population density, but a maximum intensity of MM 5 was reported.
Located by the Australian Geological Survey Organisation.
Tatong, Vic, ML 3.9
Friday, 1997 June 27, 01:20 pm EST
This earthquake occurred a few km south of Tatong, in central Victoria. It was felt in Tatong (MM 5), Swanpool and and 35km to the northwest in Benalla. It was followed by an aftershock sequence that continued to November. The events were very shallow, within a few km of the surface, so aftershocks as small as ML 1.0 were felt and heard by local residents.
ML 2.2 Fri, 1997 Jun 27, 02:12 pm EST
ML 2.0 Tue, 1997 Jul 1, 07:23 am EST (June 30, 21:23 UTC).
Port Macquarie, NSW, ML 3.6
Tue, 1997 July 8, 08:01 pm EST
Felt widely about Port Macquarie (MM 4), and in Long Flat to the west, Harrington to the south, and Kempsey to the north.
Geraldton, WA, ML 4.3
Wed, 1997 July 9, 05:34 am WST
(July 8, 2134 UTC)
The epicentre was about 45 km northwest of Geraldton, Western Australia. There was some minor damage in Geraldton (MM 5).
Located using AGSO data from the Mundaring Geophysical Observatory.
Port Augusta, SA, ML 3.8
Tue, 1997 July 22, 12:40 am CST
Located by the Sutton Earthquake Centre, Minerals and Energy South Australia, Adelaide.
Porepunkah, Vic, ML 2.4
Fri, 1997 July 25, 03:37 am EST
Felt at Porepunkah (MM 4) and Bright (MM 3)
Burra, SA, ML 2.0
Fri, 1997 July 25, 04:22 am CST
Located by the Sutton Earthquake Centre, Minerals and Energy South Australia, Adelaide.
Great Victoria Desert, WA, ML 4.5
Tuesday, 1997 July 29, 03:42 pm WST
The epicentre was in a remote area of Western Australia. No felt reports were received.
Located using AGSO data.
Grey Range, Qld, ML 3.2
Thu, 1997 July 31, 01:30 am EST
Peterborough, SA, ML 2.0
Sun, 1997 Aug 3, 04:38 pm CST
Located by the Sutton Earthquake Centre, Mines and Energy South Australia, Adelaide.
Collier Bay, WA, MW 6.3
Sun, 1997 August 10, 05:20 pm WST
(August 10, 0920 UTC)
This earthquake, of magnitude Mw 6.3, occurred in Collier Bay in the north of Western Australia. The epicentre was about 150 km NNE of Derby, and about 50 km offshore from Koolan Island.
It was felt from Broome to Halls Creek and Kununurra, and felt strongly on several boats and ships in the epicentral area. A water tank and the concrete foundations of a small building were damaged at Cockatoo Island, and MM Intensity of 5 (strongly felt but no damage) was experienced at Cape Leveque. An earthquake of this magnitude has the potential to cause damage to distances of about 100 km.
Seismology Research Centre – Earthquake Report
Collier Bay Earthquake, WA
An earthquake of magnitude MW 6.3 occurred in Collier Bay, off Koolan Island, in the north of Western Australia on Sunday, August 10 at 05:20 pm WST. Preliminary estimates place the epicentre about 150 kilometres northeast of Derby in Collier Bay, about 50 kilometres offshore from Koolan Island (124.25\U00b0 east, 16.11\U00b0 south). It is difficult to obtain a precise location because data is available from only one seismograph within 900 km of the epicentre, and no nearby recordings are available from the northwest. There is an uncertainty of ten to twenty kilometres in the earthquake location, and the epicentre may vary depending on the earthquake depth. Current estimates of the epicentre assume a shallow depth.
Reports of the earthquake being felt have been received from Broome to Halls Creek and Kununurra. On Cockatoo Island, a water tank was damaged and there was considerable damage to the concrete foundations of a small building. Modified Mercalli Intensity of 5 (strongly felt but no damage) was reported at Cape Leveque. An earthquake of this magnitude has the potential to cause damage to distances of about 100 km.
The earthquake was felt strongly on several ships and fishing boats in the area. Several rockfalls were triggered by the earthquake, and both falling rocks and the resulting dust clouds were observed by people on boats close to the shore.
This is the dry season in the area and bushfires are common. However, many local residents believe that an unusual series of fires that burned for about two weeks after the earthquake were associated with the rockfalls.
Staff from the Seismology Research Centre and the Australian Geological Survey Organisation visited the area a few days after the mainshock, and installed a temporary seismograph network to record aftershocks. It is hoped that precise location of aftershocks will verify that the fault is oriented west-north-west to east-south-east.
An aftershock of magnitude ML 3.6 was recorded at 08:34 pm WST (1997-08-10, 12:34 UTC) about three hours after the main shock, and another of magnitude ML 3.2 on the following night at 10:14 pm WST (1997-08-11, 14:14 UTC). An aftershock of magnitude ML 2.8 was recorded by the temporary seismograph network on August 18 at 08:10 am WST (1997-08-11, 0010 UTC). There were no large aftershocks in the five months since the mainshock, but it is possible that they will occur. Smaller aftershocks will almost certainly continue for some months, but they may not be felt because of the remote location of the epicentre.
The Mundaring Geophysical Observatory has sent out questionnaires to the region seeking information as to how severely the earthquake was felt. This information will be used to help determine the rate at which the effects of the earthquake attenuate with distance from the earthquake epicentre.
Four large earthquakes have occurred in this area in the past 20 years, ranging from magnitudes 4.0 to 5.6. An earthquake of magnitude 4.2 occurred about 72 km to the southwest on 30 October 1983. An earthquake of magnitude 5.6 occurred 77 km to the southeast on 6 February 1988.
This was the largest earthquake in or near Australia since earthquake sequence of magnitudes 6.3, 6.5 and 6.7 that occurred on 22 January 1988 near Tennant Creek in the Northern Territory.
The earthquake has been located using data from the Australian Geological Survey Organisation, supplemented by data from the Seismology Research Centre network in southeast Australia and other seismographs in the world network.
North of Dampier, WA, ML 4.0
Thu, 1997 August 21, 04:17 am WST
(August 20, 18:17 UTC)
Located by the Mundaring Geophysical Observatory, AGSO.
Mole Creek, Tas, ML 4.5
Sun, 1997 Aug 24, 03:30 am EST
This event was felt throughout northern Tasmania. The epicentre was near Mole Creek, about 50 km south of Devonport. Some minor damage to the Mole Creek Caves was reported, but no major collapses or significant changes to the cave passages have been found. No reports of damage to any buildings were received.
This was the largest earthquake within Tasmania since the Queenstown event of magnitude ML 5.3 on 1958 January 1. Earthquakes of magnitude ML 4.5 occurred offshore from Port Davey in 1963 November, and in Bass Strait near King Island in 1964 November.
Off Portsea, Vic, ML 2.5
Tue, 1997 August 26, 08:32 am EST
Broome, WA, ML 4.5
Mon, 1997 September 1, 05:48 pm WST (September 1, 09:48 UT)
Felt in the epicentral area (MM 3).
Located by the Mundaring Geophysical Observatory, AGSO.
Bass Strait, ML 2.5
Tues, 1997 September 9, 02:59 am EST
Dunedoo, NSW, ML 3.1
Mon, 1997 October 13, 01:51 am EDST
(October 12, 14:51 UT)
This magnitude ML 3.1 earthquake was felt at Dunedoo in central NSW. The epicentre was located a few kilometres east of the town.
San Remo, Vic, ML 2.7
Sat, 1997 November 1, 04:33 am EDST
(October 31, 17:33 UT)
The epicentre of this earthquake was about five kilometres north of San Remo, in Westernport Bay near Phillip Island, and about 80 kilometres southeast of Melbourne. No reports of the earthquake being felt were received. An earthquake of Richter magnitude 3.3 occurred very near this location on 1971 August 25, at 05:02 am EST.
Three Hummock Is, ML 2.5
Thu, 1997 November 13, 04:58 am EDST
(November 12, 17:58 UT)
Wee Jasper, NSW, ML 2.8
Tue, 1997 November 25, 04:50 pm EDST
(November 25, 05:50 UT)
A magnitude ML 2.8 earthquake occurred southwest of Wee Jasper, about 60 km west of Canberra. No reports of the earthquake being felt were received.
Boorowa, NSW, ML 2.4
Sun, 1997 December 7, 03:01 pm EDST
(December 7, 04:01 UT)
Moorooduc, Vic, ML 1.9
Sat, 1997 December 20, 07:41 am EDST
(December 19, 20:41 UTC)
A small earthquake of magnitude ML 1.9 occurred between Moorooduc, Mt Martha and Mornington, on the Mornington Peninsula about 50 km southeast of Melbourne. Several reports of the earthquake being felt in the Mt Martha area were received.
Tasman Sea, ML 3.5
Thu, 1997 December 25, 01:43 am EDST
(December 24, 14:43 UT)
An earthquake of magnitude about ML 3.5 occurred in the Tasman Sea 550 km east of Flinders Island. Over the past 50 years many events have been located in this particularly active area, at about 155\U00b0E and 40\U00b0S.
Clare, SA, ML 3.2
Fri, 1997 December 26, 06:33 pm CDST
(December 26, 08:03 UT)