<p>Actually, there is a shear zone in NW Australia. The Australian plate is somewhat stuck near the Timor Trough but keeps subducting in the west near Java. This naturally cause shear stress to accumulate in NW Australia which has to be eventually released as strike slip earthquakes. </p>

<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/tHULm.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/tHULm.png" alt="enter image description here"></a></p>

<p>See <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/270822781_The_Western_Australia_shear_zone" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Whitney et al.</a> for more details.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-09-12T20:20:14.553Z
2019-09-12T20:20:14.553Z
stali
<p>Are you confusing faults with tectonic plate boundaries?</p>

<p>Australia is in the middle of a tectonic plate, but there are <a href="https://cooberpedytimes.com/2008/09/26/faultlines-weaving-their-way-across-southern-australia/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">countless faults</a> within the plate, as within all the other plates. Each plate is stressed &amp; eventually rock adjacent to some faults moves resulting in a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intraplate_earthquake" rel="nofollow noreferrer">intraplate earthquakes</a>.</p>

<p>As the <a href="https://www.ga.gov.au/scientific-topics/community-safety/earthquake" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Geoscience Australia</a> website states:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>Although Australia is not on the edge of a plate, the continent experiences earthquakes because the Indo-Australian plate is being pushed north and is colliding with the Eurasian, Philippine and Pacific plates. This causes the build up of mainly compressive stress in the interior of the Indo-Australian plate which is released during earthquakes.</p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-07-16T19:21:54.860Z
2019-07-16T19:21:54.860Z
Fred
<p>Broome is not all that far away from a plate margin. About 300 miles north of Broome the Australian plate is slipping beneath the Eurasian plate, and this is most likely what is causing the earthquakes. Aftershocks are common after earthquakes, so this is probably what causes the cluster. If such earthquakes are vey infrequent near Broome, that is perhaps because the Australian plate is moving very slowly. Friction sometimes halts it in places and tension builds up as it I tries to move forward but is prevented. When the friction is no longer enough, something gives, and that part of the plate lurches forward again. </p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-07-16T12:35:51.973Z
2019-07-16T12:35:51.973Z
Michael Walsby
<p>There have been a series of earthquakes (some strong) near <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/ttnCihDnUcivtWFs8" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Broom, Western Australia</a>. See this screenshot of the <a href="https://earthquakes.ga.gov.au" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Geoscience Australia earthquakes map</a>:</p>

<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/Mu3iF.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/Mu3iF.jpg" alt="Cluster of earthquakes in sea off of Broome, Australia"></a></p>

<p>I didn't believe there were any faults around this area, or any apparent risk factors for strong earthquakes. Is the strength and number of these earthquakes normal normal, or is something odd happening here?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-07-16T08:54:17.040Z
Where was the epicentre of these quakes;do you know?
Michael Walsby
<earthquakes>
Is this series of earthquakes near Broome, Australia normal?
user10570551
# Is this series of earthquakes near Broome, Australia normal?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2019-07-16)

There have been a series of earthquakes (some strong) near [Broom, Western Australia](https://goo.gl/maps/ttnCihDnUcivtWFs8). See this screenshot of the [Geoscience Australia earthquakes map](https://earthquakes.ga.gov.au):

[![Cluster of earthquakes in sea off of Broome, Australia](https://i.sstatic.net/Mu3iF.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/Mu3iF.jpg)

I didn't believe there were any faults around this area, or any apparent risk factors for strong earthquakes. Is the strength and number of these earthquakes normal normal, or is something odd happening here?

**Tags:** earthquakes

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Where was the epicentre of these quakes;do you know?  

---

## 3 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2019-09-12. Score: 1 | Accepted answer

Actually, there is a shear zone in NW Australia. The Australian plate is somewhat stuck near the Timor Trough but keeps subducting in the west near Java. This naturally cause shear stress to accumulate in NW Australia which has to be eventually released as strike slip earthquakes.

[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/tHULm.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/tHULm.png)

See [Whitney et al.](https://www.researchgate.net/publication/270822781_The_Western_Australia_shear_zone) for more details.


---

### Answer by username_3 on 2019-07-16. Score: 4

Are you confusing faults with tectonic plate boundaries?

Australia is in the middle of a tectonic plate, but there are [countless faults](https://cooberpedytimes.com/2008/09/26/faultlines-weaving-their-way-across-southern-australia/) within the plate, as within all the other plates. Each plate is stressed & eventually rock adjacent to some faults moves resulting in a [intraplate earthquakes](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intraplate_earthquake).

As the [Geoscience Australia](https://www.ga.gov.au/scientific-topics/community-safety/earthquake) website states:

> Although Australia is not on the edge of a plate, the continent experiences earthquakes because the Indo-Australian plate is being pushed north and is colliding with the Eurasian, Philippine and Pacific plates. This causes the build up of mainly compressive stress in the interior of the Indo-Australian plate which is released during earthquakes.


---

### Answer by username_1 on 2019-07-16. Score: 2

Broome is not all that far away from a plate margin. About 300 miles north of Broome the Australian plate is slipping beneath the Eurasian plate, and this is most likely what is causing the earthquakes. Aftershocks are common after earthquakes, so this is probably what causes the cluster. If such earthquakes are vey infrequent near Broome, that is perhaps because the Australian plate is moving very slowly. Friction sometimes halts it in places and tension builds up as it I tries to move forward but is prevented. When the friction is no longer enough, something gives, and that part of the plate lurches forward again.


---

