Over the past 30 days, Australia has recorded 3 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5 or greater in our tracker. 3 landed between M4.0 and M4.9. By depth: 3 shallow (<70 km). 2 of the epicenters were offshore. Focal depths ranged from 5.0 km to 14.8 km. All 3 solutions have been reviewed by a USGS seismologist.
Leading the list is a magnitude 4.5 event near 85 km SSW of Yulara, Australia at 10.0 km depth. The second-ranked event, at magnitude 4.3 near 45 km SW of Tennant Creek, Australia, trails by 0.2 magnitude units — a narrow gap, indicating two comparably energetic events in the current window. Rounding out the top three is a magnitude 4.2 earthquake near 43 km N of Fitzroy Crossing, Australia.
Each row in the table below includes a narrative summary of the event, ordered by time. Use the column headers to sort or filter by magnitude.
| Time ↓ | Mag ↕ | Location ↕ | Depth ↕ | Felt ↕ | MMI | Alert | Status | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2026-05-11 2026-05-11 18:09:28 UTC | 4.2mb | 43 km N of Fitzroy Crossing, Australia -17.808°, 125.621° | 14.8 km | - | - | - | ✓ Reviewed | USGS → |
Seismographs logged a magnitude 4.2 earthquake 43 km N of Fitzroy Crossing, Australia with origin time 18:09 UTC on May 11, 2026. The event originated approximately 14.8 km below the surface, classifying it as shallow crustal. The event was offshore — common for earthquakes along subduction zones and transform plate boundaries. Coordinates: -17.808°, 125.621°. The solution has been reviewed by a USGS seismologist and is considered finalized. See the M4.2 event page for the full report, ShakeMap, and citizen-reported intensity data. | ||||||||
2026-05-05 2026-05-05 22:14:53 UTC | 4.3mb | 45 km SW of Tennant Creek, Australia -19.952°, 133.891° | 5.0 km | - | - | - | ✓ Reviewed | USGS → |
A magnitude 4.3 earthquake was recorded 45 km SW of Tennant Creek, Australia on May 5, 2026 at 22:14 UTC. At a depth of 5.0 km, the event was shallow crustal. The event was offshore — common for earthquakes along subduction zones and transform plate boundaries. Geolocation places the event at -19.952°N, 133.891°E. The solution has been reviewed by a USGS seismologist and is considered finalized. See the M4.3 event page for the full report, ShakeMap, and citizen-reported intensity data. | ||||||||
2026-05-05 2026-05-05 00:16:51 UTC | 4.5mb | 85 km SSW of Yulara, Australia -25.963°, 130.703° | 10.0 km | - | - | - | ✓ Reviewed | USGS → |
On May 5, 2026 at 00:16 UTC, a magnitude 4.5 earthquake struck 85 km SSW of Yulara, Australia. It is the largest earthquake currently listed for Australia over the past 30 days. The hypocenter lay at 10.0 km, placing this in the shallow crustal category. The epicenter is at -25.963°, 130.703°. The solution has been reviewed by a USGS seismologist and is considered finalized. See the M4.5 event page for the full report, ShakeMap, and citizen-reported intensity data. | ||||||||
85 km SSW of Yulara, Australia
2026-05-05
82 km SSW of Yulara, Australia
2026-04-04
Data from USGS Earthquake Hazards Program. Updated every 5 minutes.
Australia experiences intraplate earthquakes throughout the continent. The 1989 Newcastle earthquake demonstrated that damaging events can occur anywhere.
In 2026, Australia has recorded 7 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5 or greater so far. The largest earthquake in Australia in 2026 was a magnitude 5.5 event near Yulara, Australia. As of today, seismic monitoring continues with 0 earthquakes detected in the past 24 hours and 3 in the last 30 days.
Australia experiences intraplate earthquakes throughout the continent. The 1989 Newcastle earthquake demonstrated that damaging events can occur anywhere.
Over the past 30 days, there have been 3 recorded earthquakes in this region. The largest recent earthquake was a magnitude 4.5 event near 85 km SSW of Yulara, Australia.
In the past 30 days, 3 earthquakes have been recorded in the Australia region. The number varies based on seismic activity in the area.
The largest recent earthquake in the Australia area was a magnitude 4.5 event that occurred 85 km SSW of Yulara, Australia.
Residents should secure heavy furniture, create an emergency kit with supplies for 72 hours, develop a family communication plan, and practice "Drop, Cover, and Hold On" during earthquake drills. Visit our preparedness section for detailed guides.
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