“Only Dogs Felt It” – 2.5 Magnitude Earthquake at Ellalong, South of Cessnock

9 March 2025

Photograph taken by Mr Barry Howard, published on University of Newcastle’s Living Histories.

Ground Shaken in the Hunter: Remembering the 1994 Ellalong Earthquake Amid Saturday Night’s Tremor

According to Geoscience Australia, a 2.5 magnitude earthquake hit Ellalong, just south of Cessnock on Saturday night. While the Saturday’s event was only noticed by barking dogs, it drew memories back to a far more dramatic event three decades earlier.

On the night of 6 August 1994, the Cessnock region, particularly the villages of Paxton and Ellalong, experienced one of the strongest earthquakes recorded in eastern Australia since the devastating 1989 Newcastle quake. Striking at 9:04pm with a magnitude of 5.4, the earthquake had an extremely shallow depth of just 1.4 kilometres, leading to intense shaking around its epicentre.

The Ellalong quake resulted from reverse faulting, caused by regional geological stresses in Australia’s ancient rock layers. Although no surface rupture was identified, the quake’s shallow nature amplified its intensity locally, causing severe shaking that quickly diminished over distance.

Damage was extensive but largely limited to rural areas around Cessnock, Paxton, and Ellalong. Over 1,000 homes were significantly damaged, with cracked walls, collapsed chimneys, and foundations shifted. The historic Ellalong Hotel suffered particularly severe damage; its upper floor was later condemned and demolished. Remarkably, there were no fatalities, although five people sustained minor injuries. Insurance claims exceeded 7,000, with insured losses around $37 million, far less severe than the 1989 Newcastle disaster, which cost close to $1 billion and took 13 lives.

One particularly harrowing experience occurred deep underground at the Ellalong Colliery, where 17 miners were trapped after the earthquake knocked out power and ventilation systems. All miners were safely rescued, but the event left lasting memories of panic, darkness, and uncertainty. Miner Bob Duncan vividly described the incident, recounting the terrifying noise and sensation as the earth shifted around them, causing fear that the mine might collapse entirely.

Above ground, eyewitness accounts were equally dramatic. Patrons at the Ellalong Hotel recalled bottles flying off shelves, lights flickering out, and walls cracking audibly as the structure shook violently. Amid the confusion, local resilience quickly shone through; some locals famously returned to the pub shortly afterwards, lighting candles and continuing their evening despite the destruction around them.

Unusually for such an earthquake, the 1994 event produced very few aftershocks. Only minor micro-aftershocks were detected, none strong enough to be felt by residents.

In contrast, Saturday’s tremor, registering a magnitude of only 2.5, was a minor event. Recorded at approximately 3.6 km depth, it occurred late on the evening of 8 March and was mostly imperceptible to residents. Only sensitive instruments captured its subtle vibrations, a stark contrast to the powerful shaking and destruction witnessed in 1994. Though no human reports confirmed feeling this recent tremor, one person said “what was that noise” in a community group and several social media users said their dogs were barking and uneasy.

In comparison, Muswellbrook and its surrounding areas have experienced a notable increase in seismic activity including a significant 4.7-magnitude quake on 23 August 2024, which caused damage to homes and businesses. This uptick has led experts to describe the phenomenon as an “earthquake swarm,” characterized by a series of moderate earthquakes occurring over a relatively short period. Residents have reported strong shaking and power outages, with tremors felt across a wide region, from Wollongong to Tamworth. While the exact cause remains under investigation, some geoscientists suggest that mining activities near fault lines may be contributing to this increased seismicity by adding stress to the subsurface.