by Kevin McCue
Introduction
In the decade of the 1940s shown in the histogram in Figure 1 the number of detected and located earthquakes per year varied between 3 and 12 with a mean of 4.75/year, almost identical to the previous decade. The largest earthquake was the M6.5 Simpson Desert earthquake on 27 June 1941, so isolated that only a few people felt it though it caused a lot of excitement in seismological circles at the time. The next largest a M5.8 earthquake on 4 May 1941 was co-located in the Simpson Desert, the two part of a forgotten but amazing sequence that started in 1938??
Towards the end of the decade the quality of both reports and newspapers seemed to deteriorate. Dates and times were more often missing or inconsistent and the reports often trivialised.
There were no great, shallow, magnitude M≥8, earthquakes on the plate boundary north of Australia in 1940 to 1949.
The on-line newspaper search tool, Trove, at the Australian National Library has again been utilised to scan and correct, where necessary, stories about South Australian earthquakes.
Figure 1 Numbers of earthquakes located in each year of the decade, mean 5.6.
This report of earthquakes in South Australia for 1940 to 1949 has yielded 56 earthquakes compared with 24 listed by Dix (2013), Trove simplifying the task enormously with substantial progress made by the National Library in scanning newspapers.
Where useful, we have drawn maps of felt areas to demonstrate the extent of reports and the intensity or strength of shaking, whether damaging or not, frightening or not, and the cause: earthquake, meteorite or man-made events such as mining induced, sonic booms, navy or army exercises, quarry blasts or other explosions.
Magnitude
Magnitude is computed as per Richter’s (1958) suggestion that magnitude scales with felt area using McCue’s (1980) equation derived from Australian earthquakes in the range 3≤ML/Ms≤6.8
Figure 2 Recurrence of earthquakes in South Australia 1940-1949, compared with the instrumental data for the longer sample period 1965 – 2020.
M= 1.01ln(Rp) +0.13
where M is the Richter magnitude derived from the radius of perceptibility Rp (the radius of a circle equivalent to the area in km2 enclosed by the MM3 contour).
It makes no sense to derive a recurrence relation for earthquakes in the decade-long study period 1940-1949, skewed by the large Simpson Desert and Robe earthquakes in 1941 and 194. It was a very active decade, with an apparent lack of smaller earthquakes in the decade compared with the instrumental period which is related to the extreme non-uniform population distribution in South Australia. Few people even felt the large June 1941 earthquake, so far from Adelaide where most of the populace reside.
The recurrence realtion for the 56 years of instrumental recording suggests the once-per-year earthquake 4.2 and the once in 100 year event magnitude 6.2 where Nc is the cumulative number of earthquakes per year above magnitude M. The slope of the line or ‘b’ value is 0.98, vis 1.0.
There are many ways of calculating ‘b’. Felzer(2006) recommends the maximum likelihood method but this method requires a sample of 2000 earthquakes, rarely feasible in Australia.
On Time
A certain amount of care and judgment has to be made in corroborating the reported time of an observation with a particular earthquake, the reported times can vary an hour or even more, or may be expressed as ‘sometime between 11 and 12 pm’. Dates can be out by a week or two (last weeks earthquake ……). Occasionally an earthquake may be reported at similar times at localities hundreds of kilometres apart, with no reports from towns in-between, or reported by a single person from a suburb in Adelaide but nowhere else.
The Earthquakes
The largest earthquake in the decade in South Australia, M6.5 occurred on 27 June 1941 in the Simpson Desert. There were 4 notable earthquakes in the Simpson Desert in 1941, three occurred on 4th May, the largest in June the last of them, which is rather unusual. Aftershocks smaller than about magnitude 5 would not have been felt, so remote was this area then. Apart from its remote location, this sequence is no less notable than that off the South-East of SA in 1897 which caused extensive damage to buildings and notably, the first known occurrence of liquefaction in Australia.
An earthquake was felt at Mulka Station at 3am on 4th May. Dodwell assumed it was one of the Simpson Desert events, on the same day but at a different time. I concur, the June Simpson Desert earthquake was also reported felt at Mulka Station.
It would be surprising if there was no surface faulting accompanying this large June earthquake but moving sand dunes may well have masked it, superficially at least.
A strong earthquake on 6th August 1948 shook the South-East of the state, Robe copping the brunt of it. This earthquake was studied and an isoseismal map published by McCue (1975) who noted it wasn’t felt at ground level in Adelaide – but it was very noticeably felt by people in tall buildings in the city.
Earthquakes felt in Adelaide in the decade 1940-1949
Two earthquakes were felt in Adelaide in this active decade, the first occurred on Saturday morning 21 June 1941 when Adelaide experienced its most severe earth tremor for several years at 13 minutes 20 seconds past 6am, and lasting for 45 seconds. It was accompanied by severe rumbling noises. The GovernmentSeismologist (Mr. J. C. Jennison according to the local newspaper) said that the tremor was recorded at the Observatory which fielded many felt reports, from Verdun in the hills to Glenelg, and from Prospect to Colonel Light Gardens. The tremor was also felt at Macclesfield, and it appears that the shock was felt over an area of at least 400 square miles.
The 6 August 1948 Robe earthquake was felt throughout Adelaide, mainly in tall buildings. The Adelaide Advertiser of 7 August reported: The tremors, which were felt fairly generally in the city, and throughout the suburbs, lasted for periods varying from a few seconds to a minute, and in some instances were preceded by low rumblings………A number of city workers reported having experienced a peculiar “dizzy” feeling as large buildings swayed, doors slammed and windows rattled. Girls working on the sixth floor of a Rundle street store screamed and others became alarmed when pictures were thrown to the floor and tables and chairs moved.
Aftershocks and swarms
There were no known aftershock sequences observed during the year. The Simpson Desert events were too far and any aftershocks too small to be recorded on the inadequate Milne-Shaw seismograph installed at the Adelaide Observatory, the only one in the state. Three foreshocks preceded the magnitude 6.5 earthquake of 27 June 1941 which is most unusual. The three all occurred on 4 May nearly 7 weeks earlier, their magnitudes 4.9, 5.5 and 5.8.
An earthquake swarm at Peterborough in April/May 1942 caused some concern locally but it seems to have petered out without leading to a large earthquake or causing damage.
Primary and Secondary Effects of Earthquakes
There were no reports of faulting or liquefaction in the decade but faulting may well have occurred in the Simpson Desert during the 1941 earthquake sequence. The area is very remote area and covered in drifting sand hills but no one seems to have looked, not helped by the attitude espoused in the Kapunda Herald and popular with geologists at the time : Another frequent cause of earthquakes is the movement of the earth’s crust along existing fault planes, which may be horizontal, appearing as cracks or fissures. Fortunately we do not experience that in Australia.
Discussion
A remarkable sequence of earthquake occurred in the Simpson Desert in 1941, the largest of the sequence on 27 June was one of only 5 large earthquakes known in South Australia over the last 125 years, the first in May 1897, the latest on 20 May 2016 in the Petermann Ranges. These three earthquakes struck near state borders, but even the 19 September 1902 earthquake, the so-called Warooka earthquake, not far from Adelaide, was felt interstate.
The next largest earthquake in SA in the 1940s, in the South-East near Robe, struck on 6 August 1948, its magnitude about 5.5. The magnitude of the Adelaide earthquake of 1954 has been upgraded to magnitude 6 from its felt area. The 1954 Adelaide earthquake was Australia’s most destructive earthquake until the 28 December 1989 when Newcastle NSW was struck.
References
Dix, Katherine. 2013. South Australian Historical Earthquakes in the Pre-Instrumental Period 1873-1963: A Comprehensive Chronicle and Analysis of Available Intensity Date. A thesis submitted for the degree of Master of Philosophy, The University of Adelaide, September 2013.
Everingham, I.B., Denham, D., and Greenhalgh, S., 1987. Surface wave magnitudes of some early Australian earthquakes. BMR Journal, 10(3), 253-260.
Felzer K.R., 2006 Calculating the Gutenberg-Richter b value. AGU Fall meeting.
Gutenberg, B. and Richter, C.F. 1954. Seismicity of the Earth and Associataed Phenomena. Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ, USA.
McCue, K., 1975. Seismicity and seismic risk in South Australia. University of Adelaide Report, ADP 137.
McCue, K.F. 1980. Magnitudes of some early earthquakes in South-eastern Australia. Search 11(3), 78-80.
Richter, C. F. 1958. Elementary Seismology. Freeman.
Figure 3 Revised numbers of earthquakes per decade in South Australia, including aftershocks.
1940
1940 02 18 at 19:00 UTC, Kapunda
Kapunda Herald (SA : 1878 – 1951), Thursday 22 February 1940, page 2
Published Every Thursday Afternoon. Kapunda: Thursday, Feb. 22, 1940.
EARTH TREMOR
An earth tremor was felt in Kapunda at about 4.30 on Monday morning. It was accompanied by a loud rumbling noise, very much like thunder; in fact, several people who heard it mistook the sound for thunder. It appeared, to be travelling from north west to south east, and its duration was several seconds.
Kapunda Herald (SA : 1878 – 1951), Thursday 22 February 1940, page 3
The Earth Tremor.
How many readers noticed the earth tremor on Monday morning at about half past four? I heard it, but thought it was thunder, so turned over and went to sleep again. Earth tremors are always uncanny, and when old mother earth begins to shake, we begin to wonder just what is going to happen. Fortunately the shocks we get in Australia, have not up to date, been very severe, especially those felt of recent years. I remember a series of rather startling tremors which occurred about 1902. Probably many people will recall them. Although we do not regard our tremors as earthquakes, that is really what they are. Usually the ones we experience come from the north west, and are supposed to originate somewhere near the top of Spencer’s Gulf, where the earth’s crust is thought to be somewhat thin. Disturbances of the earth’s surface are due to the contraction of a section of the crust of the earth, caused by the cooling of the planet, because that is what we are—one of the planets of the solar system, just the same as Venus and Jupiter, both of which are beautiful sights just at present in the western skies soon after sunset. The earth shocks, which, rarely last for more than two minutes (in many cases only a few seconds), vary in intensity, and recent disturbances to Turkey caused enormous losses of life and property. Another frequent cause of earthquakes is the movement of the earth’s crust along existing fault planes, which may be horizontal, appearing as cracks or fissures. Fortunately we do not experience that in Australia.
1940 03 22 at 10:00 UTC, Kapunda
Leader (Angaston, SA : 1918 – 1954), Thursday 28 March 1940, page 1
An earth tremor was felt in Tanunda and Gomersal at about 7.30 p.m. on Friday.
Kapunda Herald (SA : 1878 – 1951), Thursday 28 March 1940, page 2
Published Every Thursday; Afternoon.
Kapunda: Thursday, March 28, 1940
News of the Week.
EARTH TREMOR.
A rather severe earth tremor was felt in Kapunda on Good Friday evening at about 7.30. It appeared to come from the north west, and was accompanied by a loud rumbling noise. Several buildings were shaken, but no material damage resulted.
1940 05 21 at 01:40 UTC, Clare
News (Adelaide, SA : 1923 – 1954), Wednesday 22 May 1940, page 4
Clare Has a Tremor
RESIDENTS in parts of the Clare district experienced an earth tremor at 11.10 o’clock yesterday morning. There was a severe rumbling as of a heavy vehicle going over a limestone formation, the houses shook and the windows rattled, but there was no damage. Mr. H. R. Box, who was at Donnybrook at the time, told me that the tremor lasted about 20 seconds. I asked Mr. G. Dodwell, Government Astronomer, if the tremor were recorded on the seismograph. He reported that it was not, which led him to the conclusion that it was confined to the Clare hills and was not of much intensity.
Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1931 – 1954), Wednesday 22 May 1940, page 11
Earth Shock Felt At Clare
CLARE, May 21.
Lasting about 15 seconds, an earth shock was felt here at about 11 a.m. today. Roofs, windows and doors rattled, and a heavy rumble was heard travelling in a south-easterly direction of the town.
Northern Argus (Clare, SA : 1869 – 1954), Friday 24 May 1940, page 7
EARTHSHOCK AT CLARE.
Many people were startled at Clare on Tuesday morning at about 11 o’clock. Roofs, windows and doors rattled, and a heavy rumble was heard travelling in a South-Easterly direction. The earth shock was also observed at Stanley Flat, and at White Hut residents declare the shock was of a severe nature. The noise was audible for 25 seconds.
Recorder (Port Pirie, SA : 1919 – 1954), Wednesday 29 May 1940, page 2
EARTH TREMOR AT GLADSTONE
An earth tremor was felt at Gladstone on Monday morning about 7 o’clock. Doors, windows, and crockery were rattled. The tremor was of short duration.
Areas’ Express (Booyoolee, SA : 1877 – 1948), Friday 31 May 1940, page 2
EARTH TREMOR.
On Monday morning an earth tremor was experienced at Gladstone at about 7 o’clock. Windows, crockery, etc., rattled, but the tremor was quickly over.
Times and Northern Advertiser, Peterborough, South Australia (SA : 1919 – 1950), Friday 27 September 1940, page 3
Earth Tremor.
An earthquake was felt at Peterborough at 7.20 on Thursday morning. It appeared to come from a north-eastern direction and did not last for many seconds.
1940 05 26 at 21:30 UTC, Gladstone
Areas’ Express (Booyoolee, SA : 1877 – 1948), Friday 31 May 1940, page 2
EARTH TREMOR.
On Monday morning an earth tremor was experienced at Gladstone at about 7 o’clock. Windows, crockery, etc., rattled, but the tremor was quickly over.
| 1940 02 18 | 19:00 | -34.3 | 138.9 | 2.5 | Kapunda | This paper |
| 1940 03 22 | 10:00 | -34.5 | 138.9 | 2.5 | Tanunda | This paper |
| 1940 05 21 | 01:40 | -33.8 | 138.7 | 3.2 | Clare | This paper |
| 1940 05 26 | 21:30 | -33.3 | 138.3 | 3.0 | Gladstone | This paper |
| 1940 09 25 | 21:50 | -33.0 | 138.8 | 2.5 | Peterborough | This paper |
1941
1941 03 30 at 06:50 UTC, Eudunda
Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1931 – 1954), Monday 31 March 1941, page 11
Earth Tremor At Eudunda
A severe earth tremor was felt at Eudunda about 4.20 p.m. yesterday. A number of buildings, including the courthouse where election votes were being counted, were shaken strongly and others vibrated. The shock, which was the strongest felt in the town for many years, made people run into the streets in some alarm, but no damage is reported. Towns near to Eudunda such as Riverton, Hamley Bridge, and Kapunda did not feel the tremor. The Government Astronomer (Mr. G. F. Dodwell) said last night that the Observatory seismograph recorded a tremor at 4.27 p.m. its location corresponding with the distance of Eudunda from the city, and of sufficient strength to shake buildings, but not strong enough to have any widespread effect. He thought it unlikely that it would have been noticed except in the vicinity of Eudunda.
Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1931 – 1954), Tuesday 1 April 1941, page 13
Eudunda Earth Tremor Recorded At Observatory
Further reports regarding the earth tremor which was felt throughout Eudunda and adjacent districts on Sunday, were received by the Government Astronomer (Mr. G. F. Dodwell) yesterday. The seismograph at the Adelaide Observatory indicated that the disturbance had begun at 4.27 p.m., and lasted about half a minute, he said. Although the shock had rattled windows of buildings at Eudunda, Riverton, Gawler, and other places, no damage had been reported.
Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1931 – 1954), Thursday 3 April 1941, page 12
REPORTS FROM RURAL CENTRES EUDUNDA
An earth tremor, the worst for some years was felt at 4.30 p.m. on Sunday and lasted several seconds. It started with a severe shock accompanied by loud rumbling. The shock was so severe that people ran out of their homes. No damage was caused. Another slight tremor was felt at 9 p.m.
1941 05 04 at 17:30 UTC, Mulka Station
Barrier Miner (Broken Hill, NSW : 1888 – 1954), Tuesday 6 May 1941, page 4
EARTH TREMOR AT MULKA STATION
A report of a severe earth tremor which shook his homestead and moved the bed from its position has been received by wireless yesterday from Mr. George Alston, of Mulka Station.
Mr. Alston said that he was awakened about 3 a.m. yesterday and found the building shaking and a wall threatening to collapse. He timed the tremor with a watch near the bed. lt lasted for two minutes.
The force of the tremor was so great that it moved the big double bed from its position. Mr. Alston told the wireless operator at the Flying Doctor Wireless Base (Mr. F. Basden) that it appeared to have a circular movement.
Figure 4 Mulka ( lower left of the map) is about 300km SW of the NSW-Qld-SA border.
In confirmation of the above it was reported in Adelaide that three earth tremors, with a centre 623 miles (1000 km) north of Adelaide, were recorded by the seismograph at the Adelaide Observatory. The Government Astronomer (Mr. G. F. Dodwell) said last night that the centre was somewhere north-east of Oodnadatta, and the shocks may have been felt in that town. The postmaster at Finke had reported a rumbling and windows in the township had rattled. Mr. Dodwell said that it was probable that windows would have been broken in a station directly over the centre of the earthquake. A series of three severe earth tremors were unusual in Central Australia. The last severe earth shock had been at Motpena, in March, 1939.
Barrier Miner (Broken Hill, NSW : 1888 – 1954), Wednesday 7 May 1941, page 4
MORE REPORTS ABOUT EARTH TREMOR
The mystery of the severe earth tremor experienced at Mulka Station, 400 miles north-west of Broken Hill, in the early hours of Sunday morning, has been deepened by reports from two other stations that they also felt the tremor. One is more than 200 miles north of Mulka.
The meteorological clerk at the Post Office (Mr. E. Olds) saw what appeared to be a fire ball about 3 a.m. on Sunday, and this has been suggested as the possible cause.
Latest reports of the tremor have been received by wireless through the Flying Doctor wireless station from Birdsville and Mona Downs.
The first report came from Mr. George Alston, of Mulka, who said that his homestead was rattled and his furniture moved by the tremor. It lasted for about two minutes.
1941 04 30 at 16:30 UTC, Penong SW SA
1941 05 04 at 20:30 UTC, Penong SW SA
West Coast Sentinel (Streaky Bay, SA : 1912 – 1954), Friday 9 May 1941, page 1
EARTH TREMORS AT PENONG
CONFIRMATION FROM ADELAIDE
Between 7.30 and 9 o’clock on Monday morning an earth tremor was felt in Penong district, states our correspondent. The sound appeared to come from the north-west, thence to the south-east. It lasted for a few moments only and at first was taken for a distant rumble of thunder.
Another tremor was felt on Thursday of last week about 2 a.m.
1941 05 16 at 23:20 UTC, Cleve
Mail (Adelaide, SA : 1912 – 1954), Saturday 17 May 1941, page 20
Tremor Shakes Houses at Cleve
CLEVE, Saturday.— Lasting a minute and a half, an earth tremor at Cleve at 8.50 a.m. today shook houses and caused people almost to over-balance. It was accompanied by a deep rumble. No serious damage was done. Cleve is on Eyre’s Peninsula, 365 miles north-west of Adelaide. The disturbance was recorded on the Adelaide Observatory seismograph, but the Government Astronomer (Mr. Dodwell) said it did not appear widespread or serious. It was probably a slight geological adjustment in the hilly country near Cleve.
Eyre’s Peninsula Tribune (Cowell, SA : 1910 – 1950), Thursday 22 May 1941, page 3
Earth Tremor
The report of an earth tremor in Cleve, which appeared in the “Mail” of last Saturday, and which was also announced over the air, was a rather startling surprise to the residents of the town, as most of them had not even heard the rumbling noise, (which round about the town was very faint), let alone feel the houses shake or see people overbalance. But according to reports crockery and windows rattled in houses at Wangaralidnie and the Yabmana district.
Eyre’s Peninsula Tribune (Cowell, SA : 1910 – 1950), Thursday 22 May 1941, page 2
EARTH TREMOR
A very noticeable earthquake occurred at Cowell on Saturday morning at about 9 a.m. Windows and crockery rattled and the rumbling noise lasted quite a few seconds and appeared to be travelling from north-west to south-east.
1941 05 18 at ? UTC, Hallett
Burra Record (SA : 1878 – 1954), Tuesday 3 June 1941, page 2
Mt. Bryan East.
Duststorms, frosts and earth tremors on Monday morning, May 19th, which rattled iron buildings.
Chronicle (Adelaide, SA : 1895 – 1954), Thursday 5 June 1941, page 13
News From Country Centres
An earth tremor was felt at Hallett on May 19, travelling north-west to south-west. Furniture rocked and in some instances plaster fell from walls.
1941 06 20 at 20:43:20 UTC, Adelaide Hills
News (Adelaide, SA : 1923 – 1954), Saturday 21 June 1941, page 4
Earth Tremor For Early Risers Adelaide experienced its most severe earth tremor for several years early today, but it was noticed only by early risers. The tremor began at 13 minutes 20 seconds past 6, and lasted for 45 seconds. It was accompanied by severe rumbling noises. The Government Seismologist (Mr. J. C. Jennison) said that the tremor was recorded at the Observatory, but it appeared to be of minor intensity.
Figure 5 Felt area of the 21 June 1941 earthquake in the Adelaide Hills at 6:13am.
The observatory received many reports, from Verdun in the hills to Glenelg, and from Prospect to Colonel Light Gardens. The tremor was also felt at Macclesfield, and it appears that the shock was felt over an area of at least 400 square miles. Plaster Dislodged The only report of material damage was from a Highgate man, who said that the tremor dislodged a piece of plaster from the wall in one of the rooms of his house. The tremor was most severe at Colonel Light Gardens and in parts of the hills near Balhannah and Piccadilly. There was not a pronounced recording on the Observatory’s seismograph. Mr. Jennison pointed out that an average of about eight or 10 tremors and earthquakes were recorded each month, but hardly any of them were felt here. He attributed the tremor either to a fault in the hills district or to some submarine disturbance in the gulf.
Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1931 – 1954), Monday 23 June 1941, page 12
Earth Tremor In Hills
A slight earth tremor was felt in the suburbs and hills districts at about 6 a.m. on Saturday. The Government Astronomer (Mr. G. F. Dodwell) said that a small movement was recorded on the seismograph at the Observatory, and the centre of the disturbance appeared to have been about 20 miles south-south-east of the city, probably in the Mount Bold district. He had received reports from as far away as Macclesfield but few from north of Adelaide. Residents of Mount Bold said that the tremor was accompanied by a deep rumbling through the hills, and lasted only two or three seconds No damage was done.
Mount Barker Courier and Onkaparinga and Gumeracha Advertiser (SA : 1880 – 1954), Thursday 26 June 1941, page 1
Earthquakes in The Hills
TREMORS ON SATURDAY AND SUNDAY MORNINGS
MOUNT BOLD CENTRE OF DISTURBANCE
Shortly after 6 a.m. on Saturday a slight earth tremor was felt in Mount Barker and other places throughout the southern parts of the Hills. The tremor was accompanied by a deep rumbling noise and was recollected only by many people when attention had been drawn to it afterwards, the thought being that it was the passing of a heavy conveyance. People who were about their duties at this time, felt the disturbance distinctly, and state that it took place at 6.18 and lasted only a couple of seconds. Some houses shook appreciably. The tremor next morning was of only a very slight nature.
According to the “Advertiser,” the Government Astronomer (Mr. G. F. Dodwell) said that a small movement was recorded on the seismograph at the Observatory, and the centre of the disturbance appeared to have been about 20 miles south-south-east of the city, probably in the Mount Bold district. He had received reports from as far away as Macclesfield, but few from north of Adelaide.
Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1931 – 1954), Wednesday 25 June 1941, page 9
An earth tremor was felt in Macclesfield at 6.30 a.m on Saturday. Houses were shaken by the quake which lasted a few seconds.
Mount Barker Courier and Onkaparinga and Gumeracha Advertiser (SA : 1880 – 1954), Thursday 26 June 1941, page 4
BALHANNAH
—Earth Tremor—
The earth tremor on Saturday morning was felt by most residents throughout the district. The rattling of crockery and windows, accompanied by rumbling noises was evidence of the disturbance.
Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1931 – 1954), Saturday 28 June 1941, page 7
An earth tremor was felt in Echunga district and houses were shaken.
1941 06 27 at 07:58 UTC, Central Australia, ‘aftershocks’ felt at Ernabella Station
Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1931 – 1954), Monday 30 June 1941, page 10
Earthquake In Finke River District
One of Australia’s most severe earthquakes occurred on Friday night in the Finke River district, Central Australia, the recording on the seismograph at the Adelaide Observatory being that of a very severe shock. The Government Astronomer (Mr. G. F. Dodwell) said yesterday that the shock was felt at Mulka station, Mona Downs and Oorawillanie, about 400 miles north-west of Broken Hill. The centre of the disturbance was estimated at about 650 miles north of Adelaide, east of Oodnadatta. The first shock, according to the Observatory record, occurred at 5.28 p.m. (Adelaide time), and the second seven minutes later. “I should think,” said Mr. Dodwell, “that if it occurred anywhere near the mission station, some damage was done. It was unusually severe for a Central Australian earthquake.” Mr. Dodwell stated that every now and then earth shocks could be expected. One occurred in Western Australia last April, and a minor one was recorded in the Finke River district only last month.
Figure 6 Based on new felt reports arising from the latest NLA scans of Australian newspapers, the felt area of this earthquake has been compiled with sparse data, especially in the Northern Territory yielding a magnitude of at least 6.0, and an epicentre further into South Australia than the ISS, Gutenberg and Richter or Bolt epicentres (E, I, G and B) in the figure. No observations were found that the mainshock was felt at Ernabella (on the western edge of this map just in SA) but if so, then that would increase the apparent magnitude and move the macroseismic location further north.
Figure 7 Histogram of known earthquakes in the Simpson Desert culminating in the M6.5 earthquake there on 20 June 1941. This is an unusual series of earthquakes, the largest one last.
Barrier Miner (Broken Hill, NSW : 1888 – 1954), Saturday 28 June 1941, page 2
TREMORS FELT IN OUTBACK
Move earth tremors have been reported by Mr. George Alston, weather official of Mulka. ” The main tremors were felt in the Maree district. The Broken Hill Flying Doctor wireless operator (Mr. F. Basden) contacted towns in the Maree district and have gathered that in some places the tremors have been severe.
The tremors were recorded at Dulcaninna, Lake Harry, Mungarangee, Mona Downs and Oorawillannie, all of which are on the Maree to Birdsville road. Natives in the district were very concerned about the tremors and reported what they had seen at various stations.
News (Adelaide, SA : 1923 – 1954), Tuesday 22 July 1941, page 8
Natives Blame ‘Devils’ For Earth Tremors
Attributed by natives to the activity of devils, further earth tremors were felt last week at Ernabella Station, in Central Australia. This is mentioned in the latest report from the Alice Springs flying doctor base. The tremors were described as rather severe, and Ernabella Station house was shaken. The station natives were both impressed and frightened.
1941 07 30 at 09:15 UTC Peterborough
Times and Northern Advertiser, Peterborough, South Australia (SA : 1919 – 1950), Friday 1 August 1941, page 2
Earth Tremor at Peterborough.
On Wednesday evening, about 6.45 p.m., an earth tremor was felt in several parts of the town.
1941 08 28 at 00:30 UTC, Jamestown
Areas’ Express (Booyoolee, SA : 1877 – 1948), Friday 29 August 1941, page 2
EARTH TREMOR.
At time of writing this, 10 a.m. Thursday, a mild earth tremor has been felt at Jamestown. As in many other small “quakes” the motion appears to be travelling from S.W. to N.E., but there is no way of checking this. Windows etc. rattled gently.
1941 09 09 at 07:36 UTC, Yongala
Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1931 – 1954), Thursday 11 September 1941, page 6
Yongala not only had snow but earth tremors—at 5.6 p.m. on Tuesday and 1 a.m. yesterday.
1941 12 11 at 16:45 UTC, Hynam
South Eastern Times (Millicent, SA : 1906 – 1954), Tuesday 23 December 1941, page 2
EARTH TREMOR AT HYNAM.
The Naracoorte “Herald” reports: A rather severe earth tremor is stated to have been felt in the Hynam area on Friday morning, December 12, at 2.15 o’clock. Several of the Hynam residents, some of whom happened to be awake at the time, state that it appeared to travel from the westward and lasted fully ten seconds. Houses shook and windows and doors, as well as household articles, rattled. We have made enquiries and cannot find that the tremor was felt in Naracoorte nor have there been reports received concerning it from other parts of the State. The fact that the earth tremor occurred at a time when most people would be in sound slumber might account for only a few having heard it, or perhaps the disturbance was of local origin. It, however, seems strange that it was not a more widespread tremor, although similar tremors have been confined to small areas.
| 1941 03 30 | 06:57 | -34.3 | 139.0 | 3.9 | Eudunda | Dix/This paper |
| 1941 05 04 | 22:07:30 | -26.3 | 136.9 | 5.8 | Simpson Desert | EDG |
| 1941 05 04 | 22:31:50 | -26.3 | 136.9 | 4.9 | Simpson Desert | EDG |
| 1941 05 04 | 23:23:57 | -26.3 | 136.9 | 5.5 | Simpson Desert | EDG |
| 1941 05 16 | 23:20 | -33.7 | 136.2 | 3.5 | Cleve | Dix/This paper |
| 1941 06 20 | 20:43:20 | -35.02 | 138.7 | 3.2 | Adelaide Hills | Dix/This paper |
| 1941 06 27* | 07:55:51 | -27.0 | 1376 | 6.5 | Simpson Desert | This paper |
| 1941 07 30 | 09:15 | -33.0 | 138.8 | 2.5 | Peterborough | This paper |
| 1941 08 29 | 00:30 | -33.2 | 138.6 | 2.5 | Jamestown | This paper |
| 1941 09 09 | 07:36 | -33.0 | 138.75 | 2.5 | Yongala | This paper |
| 1941 12 11 | 16:45 | -36.9 | 140.9 | 3.0 | Hynam | This paper |
1942
1942 01 21 at early morning, Eyre Peninsula
Port Lincoln Times (SA : 1927 – 1954), Thursday 22 January 1942, page 1
Earth Tremor Felt In Port Lincoln
There was some excitement in Port Lincoln this morning when an earth tremor was noted by a number of different people. It was felt at the Commercial Bank and by Mr. A. Wood and Mr. O. L. Jacobs in Lewis street, and at Messrs Elder, Smith and Co’s office in Washington street, also at Geddes & Co’s store in Liverpool street, and on a building being re-roofed in Matilda street. It will be interesting to get others’ experience, but so far there has not been sufficient time to do this.
1942 02 10 at 16:50 UTC, Jamestown
Areas’ Express (Booyoolee, SA : 1877 – 1948), Friday 13 February 1942, page 3
EARTH TREMOR FELT.
Quite a number of Jamestown residents were awakened at 2.20 a.m. Wednesday morning by an earth tremor which made a rumbling noise, rattled the houses and generally made things tremble. As usual the disturbance appeared to travel from S.W. to N.E. which is the general direction of the axis of the extensive faulting in South Australia. Very interesting to students of seismology and geomorphology but we don’t want any large scale demonstrations of readjustments of stresses in the old crust.
1942 04 20 at 04:00 UTC Kapunda
Kapunda Herald (SA : 1878 – 1951), Thursday 23 April 1942, page 2
Published Every Thursday Afternoon. Kapunda: Thursday, April 23, 1942
News of the Week.
EARTH TREMOR
A very distinct earth tremor was felt in Kapunda on Monday at about 1.30 p.m. It was accompanied by a loud rumbling, which some people mistook for thunder, and lasted for at least 10 or 15 seconds. Buildings were shaken, but so far as we can ascertain no serious damage resulted, although we heard of one house being cracked.
1942 05 19 at ?time, Peterborough
South Eastern Times (Millicent, SA : 1906 – 1954), Friday 15 May 1942, page 2
“EARTHQUAKE DAY” AT KINGSTON.
To the Editor.
Sir—The tenth day of May is often referred to as “earthquake day” in the Kingston district by people who vividly remember what happened on that day 45 years ago. Early in the afternoon my two brothers and I were setting rabbit traps, when suddenly a loud booming noise seemed to come from the burrows, and, although there was no wind, the trees began to sway badly. We were so scared that we made a wild rush for home, the Barooka homestead, half a mile distant. On entering the fruit garden on the side of the hill, we found the well, about 15 ft deep, overflowing the garden. The water was stained yellow by a fine sand which we had never seen before. At the homestead the chimneys were down; the gable ends of the house stood out; the lathe and plaster ceilings, pictures, and glass were lying broken up. That night and for many more we had to sleep in an old iron house; and at intervals there would be a boom in the direction of Cape Jaffa, and tremors passed under us, travelling easterly. These tremors paid us visits at various times for the next three years. That low country on the Kingston-Robe road, known as the Wangolina and Barooka Flats, was flooded on May 10, not by rain, but by water that was squeezed up through the ground. The same thing happened with the rabbit burrows; the water rushed out of them, carrying with it the same fine yellow sand. In several places the earth and stone were blown out. Other homes that suffered badly were those of the late Mr T. Smith and Mr T. P. Flint; the latter, a new stone house, was almost levelled to the ground. Mr Nicol Smith, of Cape Jaffa, then a baby, was buried and had a narrow escape.—Yours, etc.,
EDW. W. GOODE.
“The Snuggery,” Kingston.
Times and Northern Advertiser, Peterborough, South Australia (SA : 1919 – 1950), Friday 12 June 1942, page 3
Recent Earth Tremors
Following a letter to Professor Grant about the recent frequent earth tremors felt at Peterborough Mr. R. H. Koch has received the following reply:
Dear Sir,—Please accept my thanks for your letter of 29th May, re the unusual number of earth tremors at Peterborough, during the last month or two, and the further one which occurred on May 19th.
Professor Grant spoke to me about the report you sent him, and was kind enough to give me a copy of the details, which I am glad to have for our records. Your observations are of great interest in the study of seismic conditions of South Australia, and point to geological movements going on in our hilly country in the North and adjacent districts. We are lucky in the fact that major earthquakes rarely occur in this country, but no one knows when a really severe one may occur, like that which shook the South East in May 1897, or the one centred in Southern Yorke’s Peninsula in September 1902.
As we are situated in the Great South Australian Rift Valley area, marked by the depressions of St.Vincent and Spenser Gulf, and the adjoining mountain ranges we are liable to tremors from time io time, in the progress of geological adjustment; and often, periods of rainfall, following dry conditions may be the factor which tends to set them going. This was, I think, the case a few years ago, when a series of shocks occurred in the North, from Motpena, on the eastern side of Lake Torrens, down to Port Augusta, where numerous tremors, like you have had, were experienced.
Again thanking you, yours faithfully,
G. F. Dodwell Government Astronomer.
1942 09 23 early morning 24th, Tooligie
West Coast Recorder (Port Lincoln, SA : 1909 – 1942), Monday 28 September 1942, page 1
EARTHQUAKE AT TOOLIGIE
In the very early hours of last Thursday morning, an earthquake occurred at Tooligie and was felt on surrounding station homesteads. Homes and other buildings at Tooligie shook, and at Cayley Station, five miles away, the shearers jumped out of bed when they felt the vibrations. Occupants of “Oakdale” homestead said there was a sound like the rumbling of an approaching truck, followed by a crash which shook the building. The disturbance was not felt at Messrs. Dearman Bros’, other station (Myora).
| 1942 01 22 | – | -34.7 | 135.8 | 2.5 | Port Lincoln | This paper |
| 1942 02 10 | 16:50 | -33.1 | 138.6 | 3.0 | Jamestown | This paper |
| 1942 04 20 | 04:00 | -34.4 | 138.9 | 3.0 | Kapunda | This paper |
| 1942 05 19 | – | -33.0 | 138.8 | 2.5 | Peterborough | This paper |
| 1942 09 23 | 18:00 | -33.9 | 135.6 | 3.0 | Tooligie | This paper |
1943
1943 03 ??, Booleroo Centre
Areas’ Express (Booyoolee, SA : 1877 – 1948), Friday 12 March 1943, page 4
BOOLEROO CENTRE.
The recent earth tremor was the most severe local residents could remember. The shock was of sufficient severity as to cause many to leave their houses and rush into streets.
Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1931 – 1954), Thursday 11 March 1943, page 5
RURAL REPORTS
BOOLEROO CENTRE.—A severe earth tremor, travelling from north to south, and lasting for about half a minute, caused residents to rush from their homes into the street.
1943 04 27 at 04:15 and 10:15 UTC, Peterborough
Times and Northern Advertiser, Peterborough, South Australia (SA : 1919 – 1950), Friday 7 May 1943, page 3
EARTH TREMORS
Two very distinct tremors were felt last week. On Thursday at 1.45 p.m. a dull thud like a distant explosion shook several parts of the town and again at 7.45 p.m. a further tremor was felt.
1943 06 17 at 17:00 UTC, Port Augusta
1943 06 20 at 12:00 UTC, Port Augusta
Mail (Adelaide, SA : 1912 – 1954), Saturday 21 June 1947, page 1
Port Augusta Earth Tremors
PORT AUGUSTA. — Windows were rattled and doors shaken at Port Augusta by an earth tremor, which was preceded by a loud rumbling, about 9.30 p.m. yesterday.
There was no alarm, and no damage was done. Many residents thought that an exceptionally heavy truck had gone past. The tremor seemed to move from west to east, and lasted for a few seconds only. A similar ‘shake’ was noticed by townspeople about 2.30 a.m. on Wednesday.
1943 07 03 at 15:44 UTC, Stirling
News (Adelaide, SA : 1923 – 1954), Tuesday 6 July 1943, page 3
EARTH SHOCK AT STIRLING AWAKENS SLEEPERS When a local earth tremor occurred at Stirling and Crafers in the early hours of Sunday morning, houses were shaken, and residents were awakened by a sound like an explosion.
Telephone lines were temporarily out of order, but no damage was reported. Mr. C. B. Warren, of Stirling East, said:—”There was a terrific explosion, and the whole house seemed to shake. A lamp standing on a wireless set in one of the rooms fell to the floor. A big flash lit up everything outside.”
Most people thought the noise was a loud clap of thunder. The Government Astronomer (Mr. Dodwell) said today that the Observatory seismograph recorded a small local earth movement at 1.14 on Sunday morning. It lasted for four or five minutes, and was in the nature of a landslide. The movement would be accompanied by rumbling, and the sharp noise of a split in the rock.
| 1943 03 ?? | – | -32.9 | 138.4 | 2.5 | Booleroo Centre | This paper |
| 1943 04 30 | 04:15 | -33.0 | 138.8 | 3.0 | Peterborough | This paper |
| 1943 04 30 | 10:15 | -33.0 | 138.8 | 2.5 | Peterborough | This paper |
| 1943 06 17 | 15:00 | -32.7 | 138.2 | 3.0 | Port Augusta | This paper |
| 1943 06 20 | 12:00 | -32.7 | 138.2 | 3.0 | Port Augusta | This paper |
| 1943 07 03 | 15:44 | -35.0 | 138.7 | 3.0 | Stirling/Crafers | Dix, This paper |
1944
1944 01 29 at 01:00 UTC, Peterborough
Mail (Adelaide, SA : 1912 – 1954), Saturday 29 January 1944, page 3
EARTH TREMOR AT PETERBOROUGH
PETERBOROUGH. — There was a loud and sustained earth shock here at 10.30 a.m today It lasted about 20 seconds and was the loudest for many years. The Government Astronomer, Mr Dodwell, said the shock had not been recorded on the Observatory seismograph.
1944 08 07 at 07:05 UTC, Jamestown
Laura Standard and Crystal Brook Courier (SA : 1917 – 1948), Friday 11 August 1944, page 3
EARTH TREMOR. On Monday afternoon at 4.35 a sharp, but fortunately short, earth tremor was felt in Jamestown. Articles on shelves rattled, but no breakages were reported.
Times and Northern Advertiser, Peterborough, South Australia (SA : 1919 – 1950), Friday 11 August 1944, page 2
Violent Storm and Earth Tremor
On Tuesday evening after a long dry spell Peterborough received 43 points of rain in a violent thunder storm, which lasted about one and a half hours. Just before six o’clock, at the height of the storm, an earth tremor was felt in several parts of the town. More showers fell on Wednesday afternoon and 6 points were recorded.
Ed. – this sounds more weather related – thunder
1944 09 27 at 05:00 UTC, Kapunda
Kapunda Herald (SA : 1878 – 1951), Thursday 5 October 1944, page 2
Published Every Thursday Afternoon Kapunda: Thursday, October 5, 1944.
News of the Week.
EARTH TREMOR.
An earth tremor was felt in Kapunda on Wednesday afternoon of last week at about 2.30. It was very distinct in some parts of the district, and was accompanied by a low, rumbling noise.
1944 11 05 at 12:30 UTC, Kapunda
Kapunda Herald (SA : 1878 – 1951), Thursday 9 November 1944, page 2
A LOUD REPORT
Quite a number of Kapunda residents heard a loud report on Sunday night at about 10 o’clock. Nobody has been able to say definitely what caused it or its exact location. Some thought as Sunday was Guy Fawkes Day it was caused by a large cracker, but as the report was heard all over the town, that could hardly be the cause. From what we have heard the explosion may have occurred in the air as the result of a meteor, and if any one saw a falling star at that time we would be pleased to hear from them. At present the cause of the explosion appears to be a mystery. It has also been reported to us that several residents felt an earth tremor at about 11 o’clock the same night.
| 1944 01 29 | 01:00 | -33.0 | 138.9 | 3.0 | Peterborough | This paper |
| 1944 08 07 | 07:05 | -33.2 | 138.6 | 2.5 | Jamestown | This paper |
| 1944 09 27 | 05:00 | -34.4 | 138.9 | 2.5 | Kapunda | This paper |
| 1944 11 05 | 12:30 | -34.4 | 138.9 | 2.8 | Kapunda | This paper |
1945
1945 01 17 at 12:28 UTC, Kapunda
Kapunda Herald (SA : 1878 – 1951), Thursday 18 January 1945, page 2
Published Every Thursday Afternoon Kapunda: Thursday, January 18, 1945
News of the Week.
EARTH TREMOR
A slight earth tremor was felt in Kapunda a few minutes before 10 o’clock on Wednesday night. It was accompanied by a rumbling noise, but lasted only a few seconds.
1945 02 23 at 12:15 UTC, Jamestown
Laura Standard and Crystal Brook Courier (SA : 1917 – 1948), Friday 2 March 1945, page 3
EARTH TREMORS FELT NEAR JAMESTOWN.
A distinct earth tremor was felt in and near Jamestown on Friday night at about 9.45. Intensity was about usual, sufficient to rattle windows and shake buildings slightly.
Areas’ Express (Booyoolee, SA : 1877 – 1948), Friday 12 March 1943, page 4
BOOLEROO CENTRE.
The recent earth tremor was the most severe local residents could remember. The shock was of sufficient severity as to cause many to leave their houses and rush into streets.
1945 07 24 at 06:30 UTC Port Augusta
Quorn Mercury (SA : 1895 – 1954), Thursday 26 July 1945, page 3
EARTH TREMOR AT PORT AUGUSTA ON TUESDAY
A distinct earth tremor was noticed in several parts of Port Augusta at about 4 p.m. on Tuesday last. The tremor, which appeared to pass over the town from west to east, continued for some seconds. Crockery rattled, pictures and fixtures on walls shook and windows vibrated. Residents who went out into the roadway claim that the movement of the houses was quite noticeable. Some years have elapsed since there was a similar occurrence in this town.
1945 08 ??, Booleroo Centre
Laura Standard and Crystal Brook Courier (SA : 1917 – 1948), Friday 3 August 1945, page 526
BOOLEROO CENTRE
A sight local earth tremor was noted recently by residents.
Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1931 – 1954), Wednesday 1 August 1945, page 2
Rural Reports
BOOLEROO CENTRE.—A slight local earth tremor was recently noted by residents.
1945 10 16 at 12:38 UTC, Cowell
Eyre’s Peninsula Tribune (Cowell, SA : 1910 – 1950), Thursday 18 October 1945, page 2
EARTH TREMOR.
A slight earth tremor was felt in Cowell at 10.8 p.m. on Tuesday night. A noise like an explosion occurred, followed by a rumbling sound, travelling from West to East causing houses to rock slightly, and crockery and windows to rattle.
1945 10 22 at 18:25 UTC, Yeelanna
Port Lincoln Times (SA : 1927 – 1954), Thursday 1 November 1945, page 8
EARTH TREMOR AT YEELANNA
The earth tremor, reported in last week’s ” Times,” was felt at Yeelanna about 3.55 on Tuesday morning.
Port Lincoln Times (SA : 1927 – 1954), Thursday 25 October 1945, page 1
EARTH TREMOR AT HILL-SEA STATION
An earth tremor was felt at Hillsea Station at 4 o’clock on Tuesday morning. A very loud rumbling noise was heard and some time before it faded away the house shook and timbers in the roof creaked.
1945 12 30 at 14:30 UTC, Dartmoor Victoria
Narracoorte Herald (SA : 1875 – 1954), Thursday 3 January 1946, page 1
Earth Tremor at Mount Gambier.
A slight earth tremor occurred at Mount Gambier at about midnight last Sunday. It lasted for a few seconds only, but caused windows to rattle. Similar reports were received from from other centres some distance from the town.
Figure 8 Earthquake in Victoria on Monday December 31, 1945 felt in the South-East of SA
Border Watch (Mount Gambier, SA : 1861 – 1954), Thursday 3 January 1946, page 1
Earth Tremor at Mt. Gambier
At about 1 a.m. on Monday morning, Mt. Gambier and surrounding districts felt an earth tremor which lasted for two or three seconds.
Windows rattled and some people were awakened when their beds began to sway. The tremor was felt at Hamilton, Portland, O.B. Flat, and Port MacDonnell as well as in the surrounding district.
This tremor was evidently purely local as it did not register; on seismographs in Adelaide or Melbourne.
Southern Cross (Adelaide, SA : 1889 – 1954), Friday 11 January 1946, page 10
At about 1 a.m. on Monday morning, December 31, Mt. Gambier and surrounding districts felt an earth tremor which lasted for two or three seconds.
Border Watch (Mount Gambier, SA : 1861 – 1954), Tuesday 8 January 1946, page 4
Portland Felt the Earthquake
Between 1 and 2 a.m. on Monday morning residents were momentarily alarmed by an earth tremor. Buildings shook and windows rattled, and cases of beds shifting several inches are reported. Many did not notice the shock, but those who did have various and startling experiences to recite, and there were those who had “registered” the tremor but would have forgotten it if they had not been reminded the next day.
| 1945 01 17 | 12:28 | -34.3 | 138.9 | 2.5 | Kapunda | This paper |
| 1945 02 23 | 12:15 | -33.2 | 138.6 | 3.0 | Jamestown | This paper |
| 1945 07 24 | 06:30 | -32.7 | 138.2 | 4.2 | Port Augusta | This paper |
| 1945 10 16 | 12:38 | -33.6 | 136.8 | 2.5 | Cowell | This paper |
| 1945 10 22 | 18:25 | -34.0 | 135.5 | 3.8 | Yeelanna | This paper |
| 1945 12 30* | 14:30 | -37.8 | 141.3 | 4.3 | Dartmoor Vic | Dix, This paper paperTMcCue2012 |
1946
1946 10 01 at 15:00 UTC, Kapunda
Kapunda Herald (SA : 1878 – 1951), Thursday 3 October 1946, page 2
Published Every Thursday Afternoon. Kapunda: Thursday, October 3, 1946.
EARTH TREMOR.
A very distinct earth tremor was felt in Kapunda at about 12.30 a.m. on Wednesday morning. It was severe enough to shake buildings, rattle windows, &c.
1946 11 13 at 20:00 UTC, Port Augusta
Transcontinental (Port Augusta, SA : 1914 – 1954), Friday 15 November 1946, page 2
EARTH TREMOR
Several residents living in widely separated parts of the town, report that there was a distinct earth tremor at about 5.30 a.m. on Thursday.
1946 12 29 at 21:52 UTC, Melrose
Transcontinental (Port Augusta, SA : 1914 – 1954), Friday 10 January 1947, page 4Earth Tremor on December 27
A severe earth tremor occurred at Quorn at about 7.22 a.m. on Monday, December 30. Many residents were aroused by the buildings and furniture shaking, but no damage resulted. The tremor was felt at Port Augusta at 7.20 a.m., where the houses and fittings moved for a few seconds. The tremor appeared to be moving from west to east.
Laura Standard and Crystal Brook Courier (SA : 1917 – 1948), Friday 3 January 1947, page 2
GEORGETOWN
An earth tremor occurred here last Monday about 7.25 a.m. and lasted a few seconds.
Quorn Mercury (SA : 1895 – 1954), Thursday 9 January 1947, page 1
An earth tremor occurred here last Monday about 7.25 a.m. and lasted a few seconds
| 1946 10 01 | 15:00 | -34.4 | 138.9 | 3.0 | Kapunda | This paper |
| 1946 11 13 | 20:00 | -32.4 | 137.8 | 2.5 | Port Augusta | This paper |
| 1946 12 29 | 21:52 | -32.6 | 138.2 | 4.5 | Melrose | This paper |
1947
1947 03 16 at ?, Tothill’s Creek
Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1931 – 1954), Friday 21 March 1947, page 15
TOTHILL’S CREEK—A slight earth tremor was felt here on March 16.
1947 05 01 at 12:30 UTC, Kapunda
Kapunda Herald (SA : 1878 – 1951), Thursday 8 May 1947, page 2
Published Every Thursday Afternoon.
Kapunda: Thursday, May 8, 1947.
News of the Week.
EARTH TREMOR.
An earth tremor was felt in Kapunda at about 10 p.m. on Thursday of last week. It was accompanying by a low, rumbling noise, but was not very distinct, and only of slight duration.
1947 05 12 at ??UTC, Gladstone
Areas’ Express (Booyoolee, SA : 1877 – 1948), Friday 16 May 1947, page 2
EARTH TREMOR.
Gladstone residents experienced a sharp earth tremor during the early hours of Tuesday morning, when people were awakened from their usual peaceful sleep for a short period.
1947 06 18 at 17:00 UTC Port Augusta (see article below)
1947 06 20 at 12:00 UTC, Port Augusta
Mail (Adelaide, SA : 1912 – 1954), Saturday 21 June 1947, page 1
Port Augusta Earth Tremors
PORT AUGUSTA. — Windows were rattled and doors shaken at Port Augusta by an earth tremor, which was preceded by a loud rumbling, about 9.30 p.m. yesterday.
There was no alarm, and no damage was done. Many residents thought that an exceptionally heavy truck had gone past. The tremor seemed to move from west to east, and lasted for a few seconds only. A similar ‘shake’ was noticed by townspeople about 2.30 a.m. on Wednesday.
Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1931 – 1954), Monday 23 June 1947, page 5
Slight Earth Tremor At Quorn
QUORN, June 22.
A slight earth tremor was recorded here on Friday at about 9.30 p.m. No damage was done and many residents were unaware of it, but several reported that their windows and doors were shaken.
Transcontinental (Port Augusta, SA : 1914 – 1954), Friday 27 June 1947, page 6
Earth Tremor Friday Night
Residents of Port Augusta were startled at about 9.26 on Friday evening by a distinct earth tremor, which was heralded by a loud rumbling noise and caused doors and windows to rattle for some seconds. The tremor appeared to move from west to east.
Some residents report having been aroused by a similar tremor at 2.10 on the previous Thursday morning.
1947 06 23 at 11:35 and 12:00 UTC, Jamestown
Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1931 – 1954), Thursday 26 June 1947, page 6
Earth Tremors Felt In North
Two distinct earth tremors accompanied by muffled rumblings were heard at Jamestown at 9.5 p.m. and 9.30 p.m. on Monday night. A severe earthquake was felt at Laura at 9.28 p.m. on Tuesday. It appeared to be travelling from north-east to south-west. Its severity caused alarm to some residents.
1947 06 24 at ??, Gladstone and Laura (previous report)
Laura Standard and Crystal Brook Courier (SA : 1917 – 1948), Friday 27 June 1947, page 2
EARTH TREMOR.
A sharp earth tremor was experienced at Gladstone on Tuesday night last, but no damage was reported.
Areas’ Express (Booyoolee, SA : 1877 – 1948), Friday 4 July 1947, page 2
WIRRABARA FOREST
Last Tuesday evening, at 9.30, a quite violent earth tremor occurred here. The shock was preceded by a queer noise much resembling a heavy motor vehicle passing. Buildings shook, but no damage has been reported. As is usual with these quakes this one travelled from south-west to north-east. It is several years since a tremor was felt here.
1947 06 26 at 12:00 UTC, Georgetown
Areas’ Express (Booyoolee, SA : 1877 – 1948), Friday 27 June 1947, page 3
GEORGETOWN
The was a distinct earth tremor about 9.30 p.m. last night, apparently passing southward.
(probably an error in the date).
1947 09 30 at 04:05 UTC, Jamestown
Chronicle (Adelaide, SA : 1895 – 1954), Thursday 2 October 1947, page 3
Earth Tremor At Jamestown
JAMESTOWN.— A severe earth tremor which appeared to be travelling south, caused the rumbling and rattling of windows for several seconds at Jamestown at 1.35 p.m. on Tuesday. No serious damage was reported.
Shop assistants said that jars and fixtures shook, and a rumbling appeared to go through the buildings. Many residents mistook the tremor for blasting.
Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1931 – 1954), Tuesday 7 October 1947, page 4
NOISES IN GAMMON RANGES
Earth Tremor Theory Disproved
It is now considered unlikely that the strange rumbling noises which frequently occur in the Gammon Ranges, in the north of South Australia, are caused by earth tremors. Mr. Warren Bonython, chemical engineer, of ICI Alkali, who returned to Adelaide on Sunday, after spending a week in the ranges, said yesterday that a seismograph which he had set up in the ranges during a recent scientific expedition showed no evidence of earth movement. Mr. Bonython, who was accompanied on the trip by his wife, said that local residents had heard the rumbling noises several times during the month in which the seismograph had been installed. Therefore, he did not consider that earth movement was a feasible explanation for the noises. It was more likely that they were the result of rock falls from the many miles of vertical cliffs which formed the Gammons. He had seen evidences of these falls, but because of the nature of the country, could not say when they had occurred.
| 1947 03 16 | – | -34.1 | 138.9 | 2.5 | Tothill’s Creek | This paper |
| 1947 05 01 | 12:30 | -34.4 | 138.9 | 2.5 | Kapunda | This paper |
| 1947 05 12 | -33.3 | 138.3 | Gladstone | This paper | ||
| 1947 06 18 | 16:40 | -32.7 | 137.7 | 2.5 | Port Augusta | This paper |
| 1947 06 20 | 12:00 | -32.7 | 137.7 | 3.2 | Port Augusta | Dix/This paper |
| 1947 06 24* | 11:35 | -33.2 | 138.5 | 2.5 | Jamestown | Dix/This paper |
| 1947 06 24 | 11:58 | -33.2 | 138.4 | 3.4 | Laura etc | Dix/This paper |
| 1947 09 30 | 04:05 | -33.2 | 138.6 | 3.0 | Jamestown | Dix/This paper |
1948
1948 02 03 at 00:30 UTC, Copley (Leigh Creek)
Quorn Mercury (SA : 1895 – 1954), Thursday 5 February 1948, page 2
Earth Tremor Felt at Copley. A distinct earth tremor, which was accompanied by a loud rumbling noise, was felt by residents of Copley at about 10 a.m. on Tuesday. At first it was thought that the tremor was blasting operations at the nearby Leigh Creek coalfields. The disturbance was also noticed at places in the vicinity of the Gammon Ranges.
News (Adelaide, SA : 1923 – 1954), Wednesday 18 February 1948, page 8
COASTAL TREMORS Slight earth tremors were felt along coast between Brighton and Semaphore today, but were barely recorded on Observatory seismograph. Several calls reporting tremors, received at Observatory.
Note: Probably not an earthquake.
1948 08 06 at 03:30 UTC, Robe
Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1931 – 1954), Saturday 7 August 1948, page 1
EARTH TREMORS SHAKE S.A.
Houses Cracked in Country
Cracks appeared in buildings in the country and many people hurriedly left homes and offices in alarm about 1 p.m. yesterday when parts of South Australia were shaken by the worst earth tremors since September, 1902. The tremors were most severe in southern parts of the State, but no serious damage was reported. The tremors, which were felt fairly generally in the city, and throughout the suburbs, lasted for periods varying from a few seconds to a minute, and in some instances were preceded by low rumblings.
The Government Astronomer (Mr. G. F. Dodwell) said that the disturbance was centred beneath the sea about 10 miles north-west of Beachport, in much the same position as the centre of the earthquake which caused considerable damage on May 10, 1897.
The tremors, were also felt at Mount Gambier, where buildings rocked slightly. In the South-East, in areas closest to the centre of the disturbance, the tremors alarmed residents, particularly children, cracked the walls of several houses and dislodged articles from shelves.
Damage estimated at £50 was caused at the Glenelg branch of Bruce Small Pty., Ltd., in Jetty road, when five radio sets were shaken from the shelves.
Mr. Dodwell said that reports had been received of the tremor having been felt up to a radius of 200 to 250 miles.
Although no reports had been received from north of Adelaide, it was assumed that the disturbance was felt as far north as 30 to 40 miles from the city. Vibrations lasting up to a minute were reported at Beachport, where large cracks appeared in the walls of a two storey building. Alarmed residents in the surrounding district ran from houses. At one home in Tailem Bend tea was spilled from cups at a lunch table. Several people reported having felt giddy for a few seconds. The disturbance cracked the walls of the post office at Keith and stopped the railway station clock. A number of city workers reported having experienced a peculiar “dizzy” feeling as large buildings swayed, doors slammed and windows rattled. Girls working on the sixth floor of a Rundle street store screamed and others became alarmed when pictures were thrown to the floor and tables and chairs moved. At Naracoorte crockery and bottles were shaken from shelves in vibrations lasting about 20 seconds. People left cafes and shops soon after the tremor began. Children at Bordertown were terrified by the tremor, which lasted for five seconds. Windows were rattled and crockery shaken. Previous Disturbances An earth tremor with its origin very close to the centre of yesterday’s disturbance occurred in South Australia on May 10, 1897, when buildings at Beachport and nearby towns were severely damaged. Another big tremor was recorded on September 19, 1902. This had its centre between Adelaide and the Troubridge Lighthouse, which was wrecked during the disturbance. On this occasion between 600 and 700 shutters dropped down at the central telephone exchange. The Professor of Mineralogy and Geology at the University of Adelaide (Sir Douglas Mawson) said that Adelaide was in a minor earthquake zone, and was subject to earthquakes of a small variety due to some geological fault connected with the formation of the gulf and ranges. However, there was no likelihood of a serious earthquake.
Figure 9 Photographs from contemporary newspapers relating to the 6 August 1948 Robe SA earthquake, the epicentre offshore in a similar location to the large May 1897 earthquake (Chronicle).
Chronicle (Adelaide, SA : 1895 – 1954), Thursday 2 September 1948, page 13
Hole Caused By Tremor
A photograph taken by Mrs. Reg Adams, of a hole in the earth at Mount Burr caused by the recent earth tremor. The hole is 6 ft. in diameter and 4 ft. deep, is in the middle of a vegetable garden. Several big cabbages disappeared completely.
Border Watch (Mount Gambier, SA : 1861 – 1954), Saturday 7 August 1948, page 1
An earth-tremor, believed to have been centred somewhere in the sea off Beachport, shook the southern half of South Australia and parts of Victoria just after 1 p.m. yesterday. It was the State’s worst tremor for 46 years.
Reports of damage have been few, principal features of the phenomenon being the surprise it gave people, its frightening effects on buildings and the way it shock household effects, splashed water out of tanks and rocked cars.
Figure 10 The ADE seismogram of the 6 August Robe earthquake (News, 6 Aug 1948 page 1).
Duration of the tremor varied. At Beachport reports ranged from a minute to a minute and a half, while at Mount Gambier it lasted but a few seconds. First indications people had of anything unusual was the stillness of the air a few seconds before the tremor, followed by a rumbling sound which quickly reached its peak and then buildings began to shake. Just as quickly as it had come, it was all over.
Although some submarine movement is indicated, seas around the South East coast were not affected.
In Mount Gambier, with its numerous caves and rumbling streets, many residents mistook the noise for a heavily laden truck passing near their homes. When houses began to shake however, this belief was soon dispelled and many rushed out into the open for safety. Crockery rattled and in odd cases fell from cabinets, doors slammed. picture and mirrors swayed and floors and walls gave a distinct lurch. Reports were soon coming in of electric lights swinging, milk splashing from jugs and vases dancing on shelves. However, no advice has been received in this district of walls or chimneys cracking other similar damage.
ON TOP OF WALL
Mr. R. A. Duff, who is working on the new Moorak cheese factory, probably had the eeriest sensation of all. He was on top of a 25 foot high “green” brick wall at the time of the shock.
A hammer on top of the wall began to move and the whole structure began to tremble.
Though he said afterwards that he was in no danger of falling, Mr. Duff described it as a “frightening experience.”
Caretaker of the Centenary Tower (Mr. Hosking) had left the top of the mount before the ground shook. He was probably in a car going down the drive when the tremor arrived and he noticed no movement.
People indoors noticed the shock most, those outside generally experienced nothing unusual. There was one exception, however; a housewife near Frew Park was outside at the time and she said the earth was “heaving” underneath her.
Two distinct shocks which lasted several seconds were felt at Kalangadoo. Crockery and glass shook in shelves.
Naracoorte had a severe jolt which lasted about 10 seconds, and residents and shop assistants ran into the streets. Groceries rattled off shelves in one of the stores.
Figure 11 Isoseismal Map of the 1948 Robe earthquake by the author. It caused tall buildings in Adelaide to vibrate quite noticeably.
CARS ROCKED
A rumble followed by a sharp crack was heard at Robe before the tremor was felt. Chimneys cracked and plaster fell from walls and ceilings. In the streets, motor cars rocked from side to side. In the general store, groceries tumbled down from their shelves.
Only one shock was felt at Beachport where the Post Office wall was cracked. There the tremor lasted from a minute to a minute and a half and people rushed out into the streets.
AIR WAS WARM
The air became quite warm and still at the time of the ‘quake and remained sultry until late in the evening. The sea was not disturbed.
Most windows shook at Port MacDonnell, but residents report no movement underneath. Walls swayed in four distinct beats. People sitting down say they experienced a giddy feeling. At the Police Station files fell off their hooks.
The sea was quite normal and no change came after the tremor.
At Casterton, the tremor was felt mainly in the eastern portion of the town, where windows rattled.
Residents at Hamilton say that houses shuddered severely. A dull rumbling noise was heard at Harrow, 80 miles further north-west, and the tremor lasted 30 seconds. White-faced children ran fearfully from the school.
One shock was felt at Penola, but it lasted only a few seconds and was not severe.
Tanks rocked at Tantanoola and Millicent, where some residents report two separate shocks.
Logs danced on a stack at Bartlett’s mill, Dartmoor.
1897 EARTHQUAKE
Severest tremor ever experienced in Mount Gambier was shortly after mid-day on May 10,
1897. Many house walls were cracked, and probably greatest damage was caused to the Presbyterian Church spire which was moved out of alignment. Cracks appeared in the earth, bells rang and houses swayed.
Prior to this slight tremors had been felt 18 and 20 years previously.
There was a slight movement at Mount Gambier about 10 years ago.
Old hands who experienced the 1897 upheaval described yesterday as “earthquakey” weather.
Pinnaroo and Border Times (SA : 1911 – 1954), Thursday 12 August 1948, page 1
EARTH TREMOR
Last week’s earthquake which was centred in the South East was felt in these districts to a lesser degree. Several residents reported the tremor, and proof of the report was given by the unusual happenings, such as crockery rattling on shelves, water tanks (near full) over-flowing,
etc.
Mount Barker Courier and Onkaparinga and Gumeracha Advertiser (SA : 1880 – 1954), Thursday 12 August 1948, page 8
CHERRYVILLE
The earth tremor was felt here by some residents last Friday.
Chronicle (Adelaide, SA : 1895 – 1954), Thursday 12 August 1948, page 10
Disturbance Felt In Victoria
MELBOURNE. — People in several western Victorian towns ran into the streets when earth tremors began. Portland residents reported that furniture had moved in many homes and doors had slammed.
At Casterton residents on the eastern side of the town felt the shock. Windows rattled in the town and a sports goods depot proprietor was amazed to see fishing rods moving on the wall. At Goroke the post office windows rattled and the floor moved. The shock was also felt at Apsley and Kaniva. At Heywood the tremors were slight. The Harrow postmaster said that doors, windows and the switchboard shook for several seconds, to the accompaniment of a rumbling sound. Many people left houses and stood in the open.
Addendum:
Narracoorte Herald (SA : 1875 – 1954), Thursday 24 February 1949, page 7
ROBE DISTRICT ITEMS.
Robe, February 21.
Considerable damage had been done to walls by the earth tremor (?1948 tremor), and renovations were soon to be effected.
1948 09 29 at 17:50 UTC, Jamestown
News (Adelaide, SA : 1923 – 1954), Thursday 30 September 1948, page 12
EARTH SHAKE IN COUNTRY An earth tremor at 3.15 a.m. was reported at Gladstone to-day. “The tremor lasted only a few seconds,” Constable W. F. Tanner said. The earth movement was also reported at Crystal Brook. It was not deep-seated enough to be recorded here, Government Astronomer (Mr. Dodwell) said.
Areas’ Express (Booyoolee, SA : 1877 – 1948), Friday 1 October 1948, page 3
EARTH TREMOR.
A severe earth tremor was felt at Gladstone and Jamestown in the early hours of Thursday morning. Although the houses and windows were shaken no damage has been reported.
Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1931 – 1954), Friday 1 October 1948, page 5
Earth Tremor Near Port Pirie
A severe earth tremor which caused windows to rattle and buildings to shake, but which did no damage, was felt in Jamestown, Gladstone and Port Pirie about 4 am. yesterday. At Port Pirie one shop reported finding a number of drinking glasses broken on the floor when it opened yesterday morning. Estimates of the length of the tremor varied from a half to three minutes. The Government Astronomer (Mr. G. F. Dodwell) said that the tremor reported from Nurom, near Port Pirie, had been too localised and not sufficiently severe to register on the Observatory seismograph. It would be caused by a slight earth movement due to geological adjustments.
Recorder (Port Pirie, SA : 1919 – 1954), Friday 1 October 1948, page 1
No Damage Reported In District
Many Pirieans were startled from their slumbers yesterday morning when a mild earth tremor, accompanied by a low rumbling noise, passed through the municipality. Of several seconds duration, the tremor was reported to have occurred about 3.20 a.m. No damage was reported in the district.
A number of electric clocks were reported to have stopped. Windows rattled and crockery and other light articles were disturbed.
Citizens living in caravans on blocks while awaiting completion of homes were more shaken than other residents.
A Pirie West resident said that when awakened from his sleep he heard a noise resembling a shower of small stones falling on the roof of his home. He then felt a trembling sensation which was accompanied by a receding rumble.
Areas’ Express (Booyoolee, SA : 1877 – 1948), Friday 1 October 1948, page 3
EARTH TREMOR.
A severe earth tremor was felt at Gladstone and Jamestown in the early hours of Thursday morning. Although the houses and windows were shaken no damage has been reported.
1948 11 11 at 15:30 UTC, Kapunda
Kapunda Herald (SA : 1878 – 1951), Thursday 18 November 1948, page 2
EARTH TREMOR A few minutes after 1 o’clock on Friday morning of last week, a severe earth tremor was felt in Kapunda. It lasted several seconds and was accompanied by a loud rumbling noise. It appeared to be travelling from north-west to south-east.
1948 12 01 at 18:35 UTC, Oodnadatta
Chronicle (Adelaide, SA : 1895 – 1954), Thursday 9 December 1948, page 11
Slight Earth Tremor At Oodnadatta
OODNADATTA. — A slight earth tremor rattled windows at Oodnadatta soon after 4 a.m. last Thursday. No damage has been reported.
The seismograph at the Adelaide Observatory recorded a moderate tremor with a centre about 1,000 miles from Adelaide, the Government Astronomer (Mr. G. F. Dodwell) said last week. The movement began at 3.49 a.m. and continued until after 4 a.m. This could have been the movement felt at Oodnadatta, Mr. Dodwell said.
Oodnadatta is about 870km from Adelaide by air.
| 1948 02 03 | 00:30 | -30.5 | 138.7 | 3.5 | Copley | This paper |
| 1948 08 06 | 03:29:23 | -37.36 | 139.68 | 5.6 | Robe | McCue, 1975 |
| 1948 09 29 | 17:50 | -33.3 | 138.3 | 3.9 | Gladstone | Dix/This paper |
| 1948 11 11 | 15:35 | -34.4 | 1389 | 3.0 | Kapunda | This paper |
| 1948 12 01 | 18:35 | -26.8 | 135.8 | 4.5 | Oodnadatta* | DixThis paper |
1949
1949 02 14 at 21:30 UTC, Clare
Northern Argus (Clare, SA : 1869 – 1954), Thursday 17 February 1949, page 13
Earth Tremor or Small meteorite at Clare.
REPORTS all day Tuesday, Feb. 15, from various parts of Clare township and district indicate an earth tremor was felt at 7 a.m. on that date. Some reported, altho’ the sky was clear that they heard thunder, a slight tremor and a sound later as of falling rubble in a quarry.
1949 05 09 at 16:30 UTC, Port Pirie
Recorder (Port Pirie, SA : 1919 – 1954), Wednesday 11 May 1949, page 1
PIRIE DISTURBED IN EARLY MORNING
Houses Shaken, Walls Cracked
Preceded by a low rumbling, which rose in intensity and then faded, a severe earth tremor, which lasted nearly half a minute, passed through Pirie about 2 a.m. yesterday. It was reported later that walls of a number of houses had been cracked.
Sleeping people were awakened when houses were shaken and windows, crockery, and other movable articles rattled.
Mr. E. R. Jarvis (Pirie postmaster) said that a clock at his home struck the hour of 2 o’clock during the disturbance.
After the rumbling had faded into the distance an uncanny silence was broken by barking of dogs and crowing of roosters.
It was reported from Adelaide that the tremor experienced in Pirie and nearby districts had not been recorded on the observatory seismograph and was evidently a local one.
News (Adelaide, SA : 1923 – 1954), Tuesday 10 May 1949, page 1
Earth tremor at Pirie Port Pirie.—A severe earth tremor about 2 a.m. today lasted half a minute. It was preceded by a low rumbling. Windows rattled, crockery moved, and many beds were shaken. Several houses were cracked during the tremor.
Whyalla News (SA : 1940 – 1954), Friday 13 May 1949, page 1
THERE WAS A TREMOR
A lady telephoned to this office asking if there was a slight earth tremor about 2 o’clock on Tuesday morning. Nobody, she said, believed her when she said she felt one and they advised her to put more water in her drink before retiring for the night. Yes, lady, you are right, there was a slight earth tremor but not strong enough to disturb sound sleepers.
Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1931 – 1954), Wednesday 11 May 1949, page 2
Earth Tremor At Port Pirie
PORT PIRIE, May 10.
Many residents were awakened about 2 a. m. today by a loud rumbling noise, which was succeeded by an earth tremor which caused the contents of houses to rattle. No serious damage, however, has been reported. The tremor appeared to be travelling from south to north. A similar disturbance was reported from Pt. Broughton.
The Government Astronomer (Mr. G. F. Dodwell) said that the tremor was evidently a light local disturbance, too faint to be recorded on the seismograph at the Observatory. He had no knowledge of any disturbance other than at Pt. Pirie.
1949 05 13 at 08:30 UTC, Crystal Brook
Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1931 – 1954), Saturday 14 May 1949, page 2
EARTH TREMORS IN NORTH
Residents Awakened By Rumbling
Two earth tremors, which each rattled windows and were accompanied by rumbling ground noises, have been felt in the Crystal Brook and Port Pirie districts during the past four days. The first, at 2 a.m. on Tuesday, awakened residents, both at Port Pirie and at Crystal Brook by its accompanying rumbling. Crystal Brook residents said that the second tremor at about 6 p.m. yesterday also rattled windows and crockery. It was accompanied by slighter rumblings than that on Tuesday. The Government Astronomer Mr. G.F. Dodwell said that the tremors were too small to be recorded on his seismograph.
Chronicle (Adelaide, SA : 1895 – 1954), Thursday 19 May 1949, page 6
Earth Tremors Felt In Two Northern Areas
Two earth tremors, which each rattled windows and were accompanied by rumbling ground noises, were felt in the Crystal Brook and Port Pirie districts last week.
The first, at 2 a.m. on Tuesday, awakened residents, both at Port Pirie and at Crystal Brook by its accompanying rumbling. Crystal Brook residents said that the second tremor at about 6 p.m. Friday also rattled windows and crockery It was accompanied by slighter rumbling than that on Tuesday The Government Astronomer (Mr. G. F. Dodwell) said that the tremors were too slight to be recorded on his seismograph.
1949 07 17 at ? time, Stirling
Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1931 – 1954), Monday 18 July 1949, page 1
Earth Tremor In Hills
A slight earth tremor rattled doors and windows in the Stirling district early yesterday, but it was not sufficiently intense to be recorded on the seismograph at the Adelaide Observatory. The tremor, accompanied by a rumble like thunder, seemed to come from the south and receded in a north or north-easterly direction, Mr. H. V. Hill, of Stirling, said last night. Door and window frames of his home rattled, but no damage was done.
| 1949 02 14 | 21:30 | -33.8 | 138.6 | 3.0 | Clare | This paper |
| 1949 05 09 | 16:30 | -33.2 | 137.9 | 3.6 | Port Pirie | Dix/This paper |
| 1949 05 13 | 08:30 | -33.3 | 138.1 | 2.5 | Crystal Brook | Dix/This paper |
| 1949 07 16 | early | -35.0 | 138.7 | 2.5 | Stirling | Dix/This paper |