What the record shows for Australia
The strongest earthquake on record near Australia is a magnitude 6.7 in 1988, centred 38 km WSW of Tennant Creek, Australia - 38 years ago. The event is catalogued by USGS. See the event record.
Over the last 20 years, USGS has catalogued 71 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or greater within 1000 km of Australia - roughly 4 a year. That rate describes how often the ground moves enough to be recorded, not how often damage occurs; most of these are never felt.
No tsunamis are recorded within 1000 km of Australia in the NOAA NCEI database. A quiet record is not the same as no exposure - a large enough offshore earthquake can reach coastlines that have never been hit in the historical period.
Sources: USGS earthquake catalog, NOAA tsunami database, and the Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program. Figures update as the catalogs are revised.
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Australia is intraplate but still records frequent earthquakes, including damaging events in its southeast and west.
The only real protection is a warning the moment the ground moves - which is exactly what the free QuakeMate app gives you, along with tsunami and volcano alerts for Australia.
Earthquake risk in Australia - FAQ
Is Australia at risk of earthquakes?
Yes. On average about 4 quakes a year nearby of magnitude 4+ within 1000 km, based on the last 20 years of USGS data. The strongest earthquake on record nearby is M6.7 in 1988.
What was the biggest earthquake in Australia?
The strongest earthquake on record near Australia is M6.7, in 1988 (38 km WSW of Tennant Creek, Australia), from USGS.
Does Australia get tsunamis?
No tsunamis are recorded within 1000 km of Australia in the NOAA database - though coastlines everywhere carry some residual risk after a very large offshore quake.
How do I get earthquake warnings in Australia?
Download the free QuakeMate app for iPhone. It watches your location and sends a real-time push the instant a quake strikes nearby, plus tsunami and volcano alerts, with custom magnitude and distance rules. On Android, join the waitlist.