Appendix 15

MAJOR AUSTRALIAN EARTHQUAKES: 1870 - 2003

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Appendix for 9/56 year Cycles: Earthquakes & Volcanoes.


The Seismology Research Centre presented a map of major earthquakes in Australia since about 1880, while the University of Western Australia gave a listing of major earthquakes in Western Australia since 1870. These sources were combined, giving a total of 26 earthquakes (mag => 6.0) for the period 1870-1998 (see Table A). Of the top 16 quakes (mag => 6.4), 9 occurred in the 12 months commencing July 1 of those years in Table B this appendix,  which is in contrast to the expected frequency of only 3.1. Again significance was mainly associated with the most extreme events. For the 10 lesser quakes (magnitude between 6.0 and 6.3), only three fell in Table B, which could be expected by chance. Of the 26 major Australian quakes, 12 occurred in the 9/56 year grid shown in Table B, which was significant (p < .01).

  

Table A   26  MAJOR EARTHQUAKES IN AUSTRALIA
(mag => 6.0)

Magnitude Date

Location

7.6 November 19, 1906 Indian Ocean off WA
7.1 April 29, 1941 Meeberrie, WA
6.9 June 26, 1892 Offshore Flinders Island, Tas
6.8 May 12, 1885 Offshore Flinders Island, Tas
6.8 May 10, 1897 Offshore Beachport, SA
6.8 October 14, 1968 Meckering, WA
6.8 May 6, 1978 Central Australia, WA
6.7 August 16, 1929 Offshore Broome, WA
6.7  6.5  6.3* January 22, 1988 Tennant Creek, NT
6.6 January 5, 1885 Offshore Geraldton, WA 
6.5 October 28, 1937 Simpson Desert, NT
6.5 June 27, 1941 Simpson Desert, NT
6.4 July 13, 1884 Offshore Flinders Island, Tas
6.4 March 24, 1970 Tobin Lake, WA
6.4 July 16, 1971 Tobin Lake, WA
6.4 October 3, 1975 Tobin Lake, WA
6.3 March 23, 1964 Kimberleys, WA
6.3 August 10, 1997 Collier Bay, WA
6.2 December 15, 1873 Central Australia
6.2 September 15, 1946 Offshore Flinders Island, Tas
6.2 August 28, 1972 Simpson Desert, NT
6.2 February 19, 1976 Offshore Pilbara, WA
6.2 June 2, 1979 Cadoux, WA
6.1 May 19, 1965 Offshore eastern WA
6.0 September 19, 1902 Warroka, SA
6.0 June 7, 1918 Bundaberg, Qld

* These three quakes were treated as one event.
Earthquakes in bold occurred in the year beginning July 1 of those years in Table B this appendix.
Sources: Seismology Research Centre
University of Western Australia

 

 

Table B 
9/56 YEAR GRID &  MAJOR AUSTRALIAN QUAKES 
Sq
41		 Sq
50		 Sq
03		 Sq
12		 Sq
21		     Sq
48		 Sq
01		    
                1873 1882 1891
   

1875

1884
***

 1893 1902 1911 1920 1929 1938 1947

1913

 1922

1931

1940
**

 1949 1958 1967 1976 1985    

1969

 1978

1987

1996

  2005                 

The 56 year sequences are separated by an interval of 9 years.
Years in bold contained the biggest Australian earthquakes in the 12 months beginning July 1 of those years in the table.
Sources of Raw Data: Seismology Research Centre
University of Western Australia