Australia shakier than many think: geologist
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Numerous young fault lines weaving their way across southern Australia (AAP: Skye Harwood/Events South Australia)
An award-winning geologist says Australia is not as geologically stable as many people think and seismic activity, which began millions of years ago, continues to this day.
The area around Adelaide is well-known for its grapes, but little is known about what's happening deep below the surface of the rich soil. The same goes for Victoria.
Australia is widely considered to be geologically stable, unlike neighbouring New Zealand and Indonesia, where the earth shakes frequently.
But University of Melbourne Associate Professor Malcolm Wallace says he and his colleagues have discovered substantial evidence of seismic activity in southern Australia which began 10 million years ago and continues to the present day.
He says there are numerous young fault lines weaving their way across southern Australia and it's important for scientists and emergency management agencies to know where they are.
Professor Wallace won a major geology award, the Selwyn medal, last night.
The medal is named in honour of the English geologist Sir Alfred Selwyn, who was hired in the 1850s to map the geology of a young colony and travelled through much of Victoria and South Australia.
It is these states which Professor Wallace says contain numerous young fault lines.
He says there is one that goes right around the perimeter of Adelaide, while others run through various mountain ranges.
"Many of the mountain ranges in southern Victoria, like the Strzelecki Ranges, are a result of that very young or geologically young tectonic activity," he said.
Professor Wallace says the seismic activity may not translate into major earthquakes tomorrow, but it is critically important that scientists and emergency management agencies know where the fault lines are and the risks they pose.
"Although they may not historically be active, the geological evidence does suggest that there has been activity on them and there may indeed be activity in the future," he said.
The Strzelecki Ranges are better known for their scenery rather than seismic activity, but Mirboo North Golf Club manager Stan Evison does remember the few times the earth shook.
"A couple of years ago we had quite a substantial quake here - I'm not sure of what it measured on the Richter scale, but it was like a car hitting the house, everything shook," Mr Evison said.
"But I can't remember any others of any size - there has been a couple of mild ones going back 10-12 years."
