Newcastle Earthquake

Twenty years ago Newcastle was shaken by an earthquake that killed twelve people and injured hundreds more.  Australia was shocked.  My parents-in-law were living in Stockton at the time so as soon as the news broke we rang to check that they were ok.  They told me that when their house started to shake and they realised it wasn't the result of workmen down on the breakwater, they had rushed outside to see what was happening.  Their neighbours joined them and one wag called out to the butcher that he'd better watch what he put in his sausages from now on, causing everyone to laugh, thus breaking the tension.  Fortunately nobody my in-laws knew was hurt, although their local church had scaffolding all around it for a long time afterwards.

Funny things go through the mind when it experiences an earth tremor.  I remember when I was in Perth a tremor struck and I thought that a heavy truck was going past my house.  Heavy trucks never went along my quiet little street so it was a silly thought.

When I was studying Geography in High School I specifically remember being taught that Australia was an old and stable continent and didn't have Earthquakes.  After the Newcastle Earthquake, I was astounded that such twaddle could have been taught, as the Daily Telegraph included a list of Earthquakes that had occurred in Australia, going back to the earliest days of European Settlement.

A few years later I was reading the account of Australia's first recorded Earthquake which struck Port Jackson (Sydney) in June 1788.  Governor Phillip wrote the following report:-

"The 22nd of this month we had a slight shock of an earthquake; it did not last more than 2 or 3 seconds. I felt the ground shake under me and heard a noise that came from the southward, which I at first took for the report of guns fired at a great distance."

Apparently a young convict had managed to escape into the bush and had not been recovered.  However, he was so frightened by the earthquake that he returned and surrendered.  He should have taken his chances in the bush because he was hung for escaping custody.

The earth is always moving along its plates and while it does so even old and stable continents like Australia can do a little dance.  Although Newcastle's earthquake was shocking for us we managed to escape the massive destruction and loss of life that has occurred in other countries and I hope we continue to do so.  Let us reflect on those who died and keep our fingers crossed for the future.