AUSTRALIA’S

TECTONIC PLATES
AND FAULTS
A G R O U P P R E S E N TAT I O N
AUSTRALIA’S GEOGRAPHY
Australia is located in
Oceania between the Indian
and South Pacific Oceans.
Although it is a large
country, its topography is
not too varied, and most of
Southern it consists of low desert
Pacific Ocean plateau.
source: www.thoughtco.com
THE AUSTRALIAN PLATE
The Australian Plate is a major
tectonic plate in the eastern
and, largely, southern
hemispheres. Originally a part
of the ancient continent of
AUSTRALIA Gondwana, Australia
remained connected to India
and Antarctica until
approximately 100 million
years ago when India broke
away and began moving
north.
source: en.wikipedia.org
ON 2016…
ABC
News

QUARTZ
News
IT’S TRAVELED 4.9 FEET (1.5 METERS) SINCE
1994, TO BE PRECISE. THAT MIGHT NOT SOUND
LIKE A MAJOR JOURNEY. BUT AS THE NEW YORK
TIMES REPORTS, AUSTRALIA’S ANNUAL SHIFT 2.7
INCHES (6.9 CENTIMETERS) NORTHWARD, IS
INCREDIBLY FAST BY GEOLOGICAL STANDARDS.
S O U R CE : Q UA RTZ NE W S
FAULT
LINES
IN
AUSTRALIA
DARLING FAULT
The Darling Fault is
one of the longest
and most significant
faults in Australia,
Perth
extending for at least
1500 km in a north–
south orientation
near the west coast
of southern Western
Australia.
 ACTUAL
PHOTO
OF
DARLING
FAULT
IN
GOOGLE
EARTH
E ARTHQUAKES
THAT HAPPENED
IN AUSTRALIA
T H E L AT E S T, T H E S T R O N G E S T, A N D
T H E W O R S T- - W I T H T H E I R
B AC KG ROUNDS
LATEST EARTHQUAKE
February 1, 2019

source: earthquake.usgs.gov
STRONGEST EARTHQUAKE
Tennant Creek, NT (6.6)
22 January 1988
Three quakes of greater than magnitude 6 rattled Tennant Creek
in one day, each about half an hour apart. At magnitude 6.6, the
largest of these is considered Australia’s biggest quake.
Considering the intensity, damage was small. Tremors warped the
natural gas pipeline and opened a 35km-long fault scarp, with a
step of 2m. Two buildings and three other structures – including
the hospital – were damaged, with a total cost of $2.5 million. No
injuries were reported.
source: www.australiangeographic.com.au
 WORST EARTHQUAKE
Newcastle, NSW (Magnitude 5.6)
28 December 1989

One of Australia’s worst natural disasters, this

quake killed 13 people and hospitalised 160. It
caused an estimated $4 billion worth of damage
to 35,000 homes, 147 schools and 3000
buildings. Damage was reported over an area of
9000sq.km, with movement up to 800km away.
The devastation was unusual for a relatively low
magnitude quake. Experts say soft sediments may
have intensified the shaking, the strength of which
older buildings could not withstand.

source: www.australiangeographic.com.au