The1989 Newcastle earthquake was anintraplate earthquake that occurred inNewcastle, New South Wales, on Thursday 28 December.[2] The shock measured 5.6 on theRichter scale and was one of Australia's most seriousnatural disasters, killing 13 people and injuring more than 160. The damage bill has been estimated at A$4 billion (or $9.5 billion in 2022, adjusted for inflation), including an insured loss of about $1 billion (or $2.4 billion in 2022, adjusted for inflation).[2]
The effects were felt over an area of around 200,000 km2 (77,000 sq mi) in the state ofNew South Wales, with isolated reports of movement in areas up to 800 km (500 mi) from Newcastle.[2] Damage to buildings and facilities was reported over an area of 9,000 km2 (3,500 sq mi).
The highest death toll and damage occurred at the Newcastle Workers Club, where the floor collapsed. Nine people were killed and many more were trapped beneath the rubble.[2] Another three people were crushed to death when masonry from building façades collapsed onto awnings onBeaumont Street,Hamilton, an inner-city suburb of Newcastle. Following the death of a woman in Broadmeadow from earthquake-related shock, the final death toll was raised to 13.[2]
The earthquake caused damage to over 35,000 homes, 147 schools, and 3,000 commercial and/or other buildings, with significant damage (i.e. damage worth over $1,000; $2,400 in 2022 adjusted for inflation) caused to 10,000 homes and 42 schools (structural damage), within the immediate Newcastle area.
The number of people in the city on the day of the earthquake was lower than usual, due to astrike by local bus drivers. The earthquake struck in the middle of an interview by a local television stationNBN with a union representative.[3]
In early 2007, a United States academic claimed that coal mining in the region triggered the earthquake, although earthquake activity has been present in the area at least since European settlement first occurred.[5][6] That is in addition to the statement by the former head of the earthquake monitoring group atGeoscience Australia, Dr David Denham, that the Newcastle earthquake occurred some distance from mining activity:
"The depths of the focus of the earthquake was about 13, 14 kilometres, whereas the ones associated with mining, they're actually right close to the mine, because that's where the stress release takes place."[7]
Despite records of previous earthquakes in the area, even the most recent construction codes in Newcastle at the time of the earthquake (issued in 1979) required neither the adoption of earthquake-resistant design nor the strengthening of old buildings, although they did encourage owners to provide more than the minimum strength.[8]
The Earth was Raised Up in Waves Like the Sea: Earthquake Tremors Felt in theHunter Valley Since White Settlement by Cynthia Hunter (1991)ISBN9780646017167[14]
What Came Between by Patrick Cullens features a collection of stories, that begin with the earthquake.[15] (2009)ISBN9781921372889
Quakeshake: A Child's Experience of the Newcastle Earthquake by Dave O'BrienISBN9781875420049
Aftershocks, a 1991 play by Paul Brown, is based on interviews with members of the destroyed Newcastle Workers Club.[18] A film of thesame name was also released in 1998ISBN9780868196503[19]
^abcNational Geophysical Data Center / World Data Service (NGDC/WDS): NCEI/WDS Global Significant Earthquake Database. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (1972)."Significant Earthquake Information". NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information.doi:10.7289/V5TD9V7K. Retrieved29 February 2024.
^Newcastle Earthquake Thursday 28 December 1989. Unedited News Film of Actual Earthquake recorded at Hamilton Bus Depot and close vicinity prior to, during, and after the Earthquake. University of Newcastlehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=USWWIf3uG4E&si=Igz9R-tin27FWKkL
