Earthquakes in Queensland, Mag 4.9, 5.6 - August 15

[Astronuc]

A magnitude-5.6 earthquake has struck inland from Queensland's Sunshine Coast.

Geoscience Australia said the epicentre was about 80 kilometres west of Noosa and 250 kilometres north of Brisbane.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-08...nshine-coast-risbane-geoscience-aus/105662170

USGS reports 4.9 Mag.

M 4.9 - 20 km ENE of Booie, Australia​

https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/us6000r1j3/executive

• 2025-08-15 23:49:24 (UTC)
• 26.458°S 152.127°E
• 10.0 km depth
• Interactive Map
  
  Contributed by US

I see different numbers depending on the source.

 

[Baluncore]

 

[fresh_42]

My preferred local source (GFZ), located almost on the other side of the planet, reports a magnitude of 5.4.
https://geofon.gfz.de/eqinfo/event.php?id=gfz2025pysw

@davenn should have captured it. He was quite close to it.

 

[Baluncore]

Largest Earthquake In 50 Years Hits Queensland: Here’s What Happened.
OzGeology.


I received a phone call from a woman I know in Hervey Bay, 120 km from the epicentre, asking if I believed in earthquakes, or if they are caused by the devil. I think that demonstrates the stability of the Australian continent.

 

[davenn]

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-08...nshine-coast-risbane-geoscience-aus/105662170

USGS reports 4.9 Mag.

M 4.9 - 20 km ENE of Booie, Australia​

https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/us6000r1j3/executive

• 2025-08-15 23:49:24 (UTC)
• 26.458°S 152.127°E
• 10.0 km depth
• Interactive Map
  
  Contributed by US

I see different numbers depending on the source.

Because the USGS cannot give accurate info for events well outside their network coverage.
They only have 1 sensor in QLD ( Charters Towers) and it isnt a geophone and is far from the event, so it wont respond well to local regional events

It was a ML5.6 as per the Geoscience Australia info

 

[davenn]

My recordings from Sydney ....

4.5 Hz Vertical geophone

1 second (1Hz) sensor

20 second long period sensor ---- similar response to the USGS sensor in Charters Towers, QLD