Earthquake Research Group

We investigate active faults and earthquake records to better understand seismic hazards in Australia's continental interior and beyond.

Australia’s dry and arid landscape preserves a unique record of faulting from the Neotectonic period. Historical earthquakes include numerous events greater than magnitude 6, substantial damage to urban centres such as the 1989 Newcastle earthquake in New South Wales, and events capable of producing significant shaking over large distances, such as the 2021 magnitude 5.9 Woods Point earthquake in Victoria.

Our group investigates earthquake deformation as recorded in the geological record, as observed in the shorter-term seismological record, and works to understand the implications for large-scale tectonics, plate strength, and hazards to infrastructure and society. We engage in fieldwork and fault mapping, 3D fault modelling, employ remote sensing techniques, support short seismological network, and have participated in aftershock studies across Australia over the last decade. Our research primarily focuses on active faults in Australia but also extends to other continental regions around the globe.

If you are interested in earthquakes in intraplate settings, seismic hazard, geological and fault mapping, paleoseismology, seismological monitoring, topographic and geomorphic analysis — or if you simply have questions about earthquakes — please feel free to get in touch with us.

Funding bodies