Listed as the State’s ninth priority hazard in the 2023 Queensland State Disaster Risk Report, earthquakes are a rare but constant threat with hundreds of earthquakes recorded in Australia each year. Many are too small to be felt, however, over the last 10 years, Queensland has experienced seven earthquakes above magnitude 5 and 10 above magnitude 4 which have been felt by the community. Fortunately, these events have not resulted in significant damage, predominantly due to the proximity of the event to community infrastructure.

The largest recorded earthquake in eastern Australia is the 1918 Great Queensland earthquake (magnitude 6) that occurred in the Banana Shire and felt to the north, west and south, including New South Wales. Records of earthquakes in Australia are also preserved in the landscape and Indigenous knowledge systems.

Recent desk-top landscape analysis by Geoscience Australia identified that a large earthquake had occurred in in the City of Moreton Bay area in the past. Given the proximity of this evidence to the community and major critical infrastructure, the City of Moreton Bay has initiated a project to undertake a detailed investigation to determine the characteristics of a potential future earthquakes. This investigation, the first of its kind in Queensland, is a fundamental input to building an understanding of the extent of damage from a potential repeat earthquake, enabling realistic scenario planning for response and recovery. We know that if an event has occurred before, it can happen again.

This presentation will introduce the Caboolture scarp, outline the findings for the scientific investigation led by the University of Melbourne and discuss the implications for disaster management.

Listed as the State’s ninth priority hazard in the 2023 Queensland State Disaster Risk Report, earthquakes are a rare but constant threat with hundreds of earthquakes recorded in Australia each year. Many are too small to be felt, however, over the last 10 years, Queensland has experienced seven earthquakes above magnitude 5 and 10 above magnitude 4 which have been felt by the community. Fortunately, these events have not resulted in significant damage, predominantly due to the proximity of the event to community infrastructure.

The largest recorded earthquake in eastern Australia is the 1918 Great Queensland earthquake (magnitude 6) that occurred in the Banana Shire and felt to the north, west and south, including New South Wales. Records of earthquakes in Australia are also preserved in the landscape and Indigenous knowledge systems.

Recent desk-top landscape analysis by Geoscience Australia identified that a large earthquake had occurred in in the City of Moreton Bay area in the past. Given the proximity of this evidence to the community and major critical infrastructure, the City of Moreton Bay has initiated a project to undertake a detailed investigation to determine the characteristics of a potential future earthquakes. This investigation, the first of its kind in Queensland, is a fundamental input to building an understanding of the extent of damage from a potential repeat earthquake, enabling realistic scenario planning for response and recovery. We know that if an event has occurred before, it can happen again.

This presentation will introduce the Caboolture scarp, outline the findings for the scientific investigation led by the University of Melbourne and discuss the implications for disaster management.