How frequent are earthquakes in Australia?

Australia has relatively few earthquakes. Based on data from the past 25 years and our earthquake archive back to 1900, there are about 785 quakes on average per year in Australia. However, Australia has had at least 2 quakes above magnitude 8 since 1900, which suggests that larger earthquakes of this size occur infrequently, probably on average approximately every 60 to 65 years.

How many earthquakes occur every year in Australia?

On average, Australia has about 153 quakes of magnitude 3 or higher per year (Mag 4+: 27.5 quakes per year, Mag 5+: 4.3 quakes per year).

Volcanoes of Australia (13)

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Significant volcanic eruptions: Australia

In historic times, at least 2 volcanoes have been active in Australia, including Heard and McDonald Islands volcanoes. A total of 15 eruptions have been witnessed and documented since 1910.
The table below lists volcanic eruptions, significant eruptive episodes or related events in Australia during geologically recent times.

Date	Volcano	VEI	Region
2012 Sep 5 ±4 d. - ongoing	Heard Mawson Peak	0	Australia, Southern Indian Ocean
2006 Mar 11 - 2008 Mar 3	Heard Mawson Peak	0	Australia, Southern Indian Ocean
2005 Jul 12 or before	McDonald Islands	0	Australia, Southern Indian Ocean
2003 Jun 9 - 2004 Jun 14	Heard Mawson Peak	0	Australia, Southern Indian Ocean
2001 May 3 ±150 d.	McDonald Islands	1?	Australia, Southern Indian Ocean
2000 Mar 7 ? - 2001 Feb 16 ±15 d.	Heard Mawson Peak and upper south flank	2	Australia, Southern Indian Ocean
1996 Dec 16 ±15 d. - 1997 Feb 10 ±30 d.	McDonald Islands Northern part of McDonald Island	1?	Australia, Southern Indian Ocean
1993 Jan 2 ±15 d.	Heard Mawson Peak	2?	Australia, Southern Indian Ocean
1992 Dec 16 ±15 d.	McDonald Islands Submarine vent near McDonald Islands	0	Australia, Southern Indian Ocean
1992 May 29 ?	Heard Mawson Peak	0	Australia, Southern Indian Ocean
1985 Jan 14 - 1987 Jan 16 ±15 d.	Heard Mawson Peak	2?	Australia, Southern Indian Ocean
1954 Apr 13 ? - Jun 13 ?	Heard Mawson Peak	2	Australia, Southern Indian Ocean
1953 Aug 20 - Nov 18	Heard Mawson Peak	2	Australia, Southern Indian Ocean
1950 Jan 24 - 1952 Mar 12 ?	Heard Mawson Peak	2	Australia, Southern Indian Ocean
1910 Mar - Apr	Heard Mawson Peak	2	Australia, Southern Indian Ocean

Remark:

Our list of volcanic eruptions closely follows the database of eruptions of the Smithsonian's Global Volcanism Project (GVP), the internationally most recognized data source for volcanic eruptions, but also includes significant eruptive episodes or related volcano events. "Volcanic eruptions" are usually to be understood as sequences of individual eruptive episodes that can follow each other, or even overlap (if several vents are involved), and can last many years, decades or even longer. For example, the current activity of Stromboli volcano is understood as a single eruption that has been ongoing since 1934.

Sources: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), Global Significant Volcanic Eruptions Database. doi:10.7289/V5TD9V7K | Global Volcanism Project / Smithsonian Institution

Australia FAQ

+When was the last volcanic eruption in Australia?

The last volcanic eruption in Australia was from Heard volcano. It began in 2012 and is continuing (as of May 2025).

+When was the first documented volcanic eruption in Australia?

The first historically documented eruption occurred 1910 from Heard volcano.

+How often do volcanoes in Australia erupt?

Since 1910, Australia has seen at least 15 historically documented eruptions. This means that a volcano erupts on average every 7.7 years.

+How active are the volcanoes in Australia?

Australia is volcanically relatively active: Since 1900, at least 2 volcanoes in Australia have been active.Since 1900, Australia has had 15 volcanic eruptions from 2 individual volcanoes. Volcanic eruptions have been recorded erupted during 35 years out of 126 as of now. This means, at least one volcano in Australia has been in eruption in one in 3.6 years on average. The latest eruption from Heard volcano volcano is still continuing at present.

+When was the largest volcanic eruption in Australia?

The largest eruption in Australia in historic times was from Heard volcano. It occurred during 2000 - 2001. It ranks as a strombolian to vulcanian eruption with a magnitude 2 on the VEI (Volcanic Explosivity Index) scale.

Latest earthquakes: Australia

In the past 7 days, Australia was shaken by 1 quake of magnitude 5.6 and 8 quakes between 2.0 and 3.0.

A Magnitude earthquake occurred in .

Magnitude Earthquake -

Date and Time	Mag / Depth	Nearest Volcano / Location
2025-05-21 11:27	2.3 5 km	2383 km (1481 mi) W of Newer Volcanics Province	Quairading, 34 km northeast of Beverley, Beverley, Western Australia, Australia	Info
Sunday, May 18, 2025 GMT (1 quake)
May 18, 12:09 am (Universal Time)	2.5 10 km	2001 km (1243 mi) W of Newer Volcanics Province	Esperance Shire, 48 km north of Munglinup, Ravensthorpe, Western Australia, Australia	Info
Friday, May 16, 2025 GMT (2 quakes)
May 17, 07:16 am (Darwin)	5.6 60 km	780 km (485 mi) SE of Nila	Northern Territory, Australia I FELT IT	Info
2025-05-16 12:38	2.3 10 km	739 km (459 mi) NW of Newer Volcanics Province	Lower Eyre Peninsula, 69 km north of Port Lincoln, Port Lincoln, South Australia, Australia	Info
Thursday, May 15, 2025 GMT (2 quakes)
May 15, 09:09 pm (Universal Time)	2.8 10 km	1533 km (953 mi) S of Wurlali	32 km southwest of Tennant Creek, Barkly, Northern Territory, Australia I FELT IT	Info
May 15, 06:29 pm (Universal Time)	2.6 5 km	1045 km (649 mi) NW of Newer Volcanics Province	South Australia, Australia I FELT IT	Info

See Recent Quakes

Significant Earthquakes in Australia since 1900

The deadliest earthquake in Australia since 1900 was the magnitude 5.4 earthquake in

Australia, Australian Capital Territory on Dec, 27, 1989. It resulted in 12 fatalities and 100 injured people. This was the most disastrous quake in Australia ever recorded. This was also the most damaging earthquake that occurred in this time: total economic losses were estimated to the equivalent of $1 billion US Dollars. An unknown number houses and other buildings were destroyed and an unknown number damaged.

Date	Mag	Region	Deaths	Damage
2021 Sep 21	5.9	Melbourne	0	moderate	Info
2014 Feb 26	4.5	Kalgoorlie	0	light	Info
2010 Apr 20	5.2	Kalgoorlie	0	light	Info
2009 Sep 22	3.1	Mornington	0	light	Info
1989 Dec 27	5.4	Newcastle	12	catastrophic	Info
1989 May 23	8.2	Macquarie Island: Macquarie Station; New Zealand	0	light	Info
1988 Jan 22	6.7	Tennant Creek	0	moderate	Info
1988 Jan 22	6.3	Tennant Creek	0	moderate	Info
1979 Jun 2	6.1	Western	0	light	Info
1973 Mar 9	5.5	Wollongong, Sydney	0	probably none	Info
1968 Oct 14	6.9	Meckering, Northam, Cunderdin, York	0	light	Info
1954 Feb 28	5.4	Adelaide S	0	moderate	Info

Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), Global Significant Earthquake Database. doi:10.7289/V5TD9V7K

All Quakes in History

Map

Oldest quakes (until 1960) are shown in yellow, most recent (from 2000) in red.

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Significant Earthquakes in Australia FAQ

+Which was the deadliest earthquake in Australia since 1900?

The deadliest earthquake in Australia since 1900 was the magnitude 5.4 earthquake in Australia, Australian Capital Territory on Dec, 27, 1989. It resulted in 12 fatalities and 100 injured people. This was the most disastrous quake in Australia ever recorded.

+How many people were killed by earthquakes in Australia since 1900?

Since 1900, at least 1 earthquakes claimed an estimated total of 12 fatalities in Australia.

+How much damage did earthquakes cause in Australia since 1900?

There were 12 damaging or deadly quakes during this period that caused economic losses of approx. $1 billion US Dollars combined.

Volcano List

Atherton Volcanic Province

(volcanic field (shields, cinder cones, maars) 1160 m / 3806 ft )

Along with the Newer Volcanics Province, Atherton Volcanic Province is one of two known potentially still active volcanic provinces in Australia.
Located in northeastern Queensland, this volcanic field covers an area of 1800 km2 and contains 52 eruptive centers, including ... [more info]

Bundaberg-Boyne Province

(Pyroclastic cone(s) 330 m / 1083 ft)

[more info]

Chudleigh Volcanic Province

(Shield(s) 1000 m / 3281 ft)

[more info]

Fox

(Pyroclastic cone 840 m / 2756 ft)

[more info]

Heard

(Stratovolcano 2745 m / 9,006 ft)

NASA Earth Observatory image of Hear Island taken on 13 Oct 2012 by Robert Simmon, using EO-1 ALI data from the NASA EO-1 team and USGS Global Visualization Viewer (NASA earth observatory http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/view.php?id=79484)

Heard Island is the top of an active stratovolcano on the Kerguelen Plateau in the southern Indian Ocean, about 4000 km southwest of Western Australia. Part of Australian territory, along with McDonald Island to the west, Heard is one of Australia's two currently active volcanoes... [more info]