December 23, 2004 Earthquake: Macquarie Island, Australia

Name: December 23, 2004 Earthquake: Macquarie Island, Australia
Start: 2004-12-23
Location: Macquarie Island, Australia

December 23, 2004 · M8.1

A magnitude 8.1 earthquake struck Macquarie Island, Australia on December 23, 2004 at 14:59:04 UTC, 10 km below the surface. It caused a tsunami.

Map

Where it struck, with the other significant earthquakes within 200 km. Circles are sized and colored by magnitude; select one for its page.

The earthquake

Date: December 23, 2004
Time: 14:59:04 UTC
Place: Macquarie Island, Australia
Magnitude: 8.1 (Mw)
Focal depth: 10 km (6 mi)
Tsunami: Yes: the tsunami it caused
Epicenter: 49.312° S, 161.345° E
Country: Australia

The toll

The record gives no deaths, injuries or damage for this earthquake.

What the record says

NCEI’s account, from the sources it cites.

Felt throughout Tasmania, Australia and in

much of the South Island, New Zealand. A small tsunami

generated with recorded wave heights of 30 cm at

Jackson Bay, New Zealand; 15 cm at Spring Bay,

Tasmania; 10 cm at Port Kembla, New South Wales,

Australia. (reference #1053)

Other significant earthquakes nearby

Within 200 km, the deadliest first.

Significant earthquakes of 2004 The 2000s Every quake the USGS located in 2004 Recent earthquakes near here This day in weather history

Sources

Significant earthquakes from NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information, Global Historical Hazard Database, cited as NCEI/WDS, doi:10.7289/V5PN93H7. Public domain. Read 2026-09-24. NCEI earthquake 5835.