Skip to main content
AREAZINENotices · US CA UK AU

AustraliaGeoscience AustraliaTo 3 Oct 2026

The latest earthquakes in Australia

Geoscience Australia located 284 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5 or more in Australia in 2026 through October 3, 2026, against 337 a year on average in 2016-2025; the largest this year was M5.6, Amata (Musgrave Park), SA, on April 4, 2026.

Notices, page 4

Source: Geoscience Australia earthquakes catalogue. © Commonwealth of Australia (Geoscience Australia), CC BY 4.0.

How many earthquakes a year since 2000?

337 a year on average in 2016-2025; 2019 had the most (460)
2004006002000: 14620002001: 2012002: 22020022003: 1312004: 11020042005: 1512006: 9520062007: 1042008: 12320082009: 2342010: 13620102011: 1562012: 19620122013: 2122014: 20920142015: 1742016: 35720162017: 3172018: 28920182019: 4602020: 29820202021: 2702022: 33020222023: 3192024: 41620242025: 3152026: 28420262016-2025 average 3372026 to 3 Oct 2026: 2842004006002000: 14620002001: 2012002: 22020022003: 1312004: 11020042005: 1512006: 9520062007: 1042008: 12320082009: 2342010: 13620102011: 1562012: 19620122013: 2122014: 20920142015: 1742016: 35720162017: 3172018: 28920182019: 4602020: 29820202021: 2702022: 33020222023: 3192024: 41620242025: 3152026: 28420262016-2025 average 3372026 to 3 Oct 2026: 2842004006002000: 14620002001: 2012002: 2202003: 1312004: 1102005: 15120052006: 952007: 1042008: 1232009: 2342010: 13620102011: 1562012: 1962013: 2122014: 2092015: 17420152016: 3572017: 3172018: 2892019: 4602020: 29820202021: 2702022: 3302023: 3192024: 4162025: 3152026: 28420262016-2025 average 3372026 to 3 Oct 2026: 2842004006002000: 14620002001: 2012002: 2202003: 1312004: 1102005: 1512006: 952007: 1042008: 1232009: 2342010: 13620102011: 1562012: 1962013: 2122014: 2092015: 1742016: 3572017: 3172018: 2892019: 4602020: 29820202021: 2702022: 3302023: 3192024: 4162025: 3152026: 28420262016-2025 average 3372026 to 3 Oct 2026: 284

Every earthquake of magnitude 2.5 or more in Geoscience Australia's catalogue. The current year is an outline. Denser seismic networks locate more small earthquakes, so the count of M3 or more (143 a year in 2016-2025) is the steadier series.

The numbers
YearEarthquakesM3 or moreLargest
2026 (to 3 Oct 2026)28488M5.6
2025315124M5.6
2024416186M4.7
2023319128M5.0
2022330126M4.8
2021270112M5.9
2020298108M5.0
2019460208M6.6
2018289117M5.9
2017317120M5.3
2016357197M6.3
201517479M6.0
201420976M4.7
201321276M5.4
201219689M6.1
201115682M5.3
201013652M5.3
2009234107M5.9
200812361M7.4
200710455M6.3
20069553M5.1
200515174M4.6
200411055M6.0
200313169M4.8
2002220101M5.2
200120192M6.0
200014672M5.4

Source: Geoscience Australia earthquakes catalogue. Data as of October 3, 2026. © Commonwealth of Australia (Geoscience Australia), CC BY 4.0.

Where do they happen? 2016-2025

State or territoryEarthquakesM3 or more
Western Australia1,802829
South Australia494159
Northern Territory353162
New South Wales310103
Victoria21164
Queensland13267
Tasmania3618
Australian Capital Territory11

Source: Geoscience Australia earthquakes catalogue. Data as of October 3, 2026. © Commonwealth of Australia (Geoscience Australia), CC BY 4.0.