By DAN RYAN
Things go bump in the night, but the living room isn't supposed to.
That’s how some Woodstock residents described the light shaking they felt just after 7pm on Sunday July 20, following a small but noticeable earthquake near Reg Hailstone Way. The 2.8 magnitude tremor was followed shortly after by another, slightly stronger quake measuring 2.9, recorded by the Newmont-Cadia gold mine between Cowra and Orange.
According to Geoscience Australia, the first earthquake occurred at a depth of around 10 kilometres. More than 50 residents across the region reported feeling the shaking.
One Wyangala Dam resident shared their experience on Facebook: “Wow. A few hours ago, there was a funny rumbling down our road. We live out near Wyangala Dam. Thought it was a heavy vehicle going down our road. Weird.”
While these quakes were minor, understanding magnitude readings can help communities know what to expect. Earthquake magnitude measures the energy released at the source, but doesn’t always reflect how much shaking people feel on the ground. That’s where intensity comes in, where quakes are measured by how strongly the quake is felt in different locations.
The magnitude scale is logarithmic, meaning each whole number increase represents roughly 32 times more energy. A magnitude 2.8, like Sunday’s quake, is usually felt only in the immediate area and rarely causes any damage. Earthquakes below 3.0 are often described as a quick 'jolt' or 'rumble' much like what many reported during Sunday’s event.
In contrast, a magnitude 5.0 quake can cause noticeable shaking and may rattle windows and doors. Quakes of magnitude 6.0 or above, though rare in this region, have the potential to cause structural damage, especially in older or poorly constructed buildings.
Thankfully, no injuries or damage were reported from Sunday night’s tremors.
Experts say that while central western NSW is not considered a high-risk earthquake zone, small tremors like these are not unusual and serve as gentle reminders that the earth beneath our feet is always moving.
Residents are encouraged to report any tremors they feel to Geoscience Australia, as this data helps scientists monitor seismic activity and better understand the behaviour of the earth’s crust in our region.