Aussies in two cities shaken awake by early morning earthquakes

By NICK WILSON FOR DAILY MAIL AUSTRALIA

Published: 00:12 BST, 6 May 2025 | Updated: 01:09 BST, 6 May 2025

Two Australian cities were rocked by earthquakes on Tuesday morning. 

Melbourne was struck by a magnitude 2.8 earthquake about 12.30am on Tuesday, with the epicentre located just outside Mount Dandenong, 44km east of Melbourne. 

More than 700 Victorians reported the quake to Geoscience Australia, with reports coming in from as far as Jam Jerrup in the south to Cragieburn in the north. 

Dozens took to social media to share their accounts of the tremor, most having been woken by the sound just minutes earlier. 

One woman said she thought something had ‘exploded’ while another said the quake caused their windows to rattle following the initial tremor. 

Two hours later, a magnitude 2.7 earthquake struck just east of Adelaide at 2am. 

The epicentre was located near Nairne, adjacent to Mount Barker in the Adelaide Hills at a depth of 9km with reports of tremors stretching from Tanunda in the Barossa Valley to Strathalbyn in the south. 

Just over 250 Adelaide residents submitted reports, with the strongest impacts recorded in the city’s western suburbs. 

Earthquakes struck just outside Melbourne and Adelaide in the early hours of Tuesday

A magnitude 2.7 earthquake struck just east of Adelaide at 2am (pictured)

Seismology Research Centre chief scientist Adam Pascale told FIVEAA Radio the quake was ‘quite small’ but suggested a larger quake may follow. 

‘There’s been a magnitude six in South Australia in recent history… it’s quite likely that there will be another large event sometime,’ he said.

‘Unfortunately, I can’t predict these things, but we know that we will see an event of magnitude five or six, probably in the next 50 or 100 years.’

Owners of The Big Rocking Horse, a tourist attraction in Gumeracha in the Adelaide Hills reported feeling the quake on Tuesday morning. 

‘Not even an earthquake could make Wal The Big Rocking Horse rock!’ they said. 

‘It was a rolling rumble sound and we didn’t feel the earth move. Checking on all our animals now to make sure they aren’t spooked.’ 

Of all of Australia’s capital cities, Adelaide experiences the most earthquakes. 

In 1954, the city was hit by a magnitude 5.5 earthquake causing three serious injuries, widespread blackouts and damage to more than 3,000 buildings. 

‘This data is extremely valuable to help us better understand the intensity of earthquakes in Australia and informs important decision-making tools like the National Seismic Hazard Assessment,’ a spokesperson said. 

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Aussies in two cities shaken awake by early morning earthquakes

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