# Preliminary Magnitude 4.8 Earthquake recorded near Melbourne, Victoria

Date: 3 Oct 2026
Released by: Geoscience Australia

## MediaRelease.co Summary

Geoscience Australia’s National Earthquake Alerts Centre recorded a preliminary magnitude 4.8 earthquake near Leongatha, south-east of Melbourne, at 2:01 am AEST on Saturday 3 October 2026. A magnitude 3.1 aftershock followed shortly afterwards. The agency is directing the public to Earthquakes@GA for updates and felt reports, and has issued media materials for outlets covering the Victorian event.

## Original release

Geoscience Australia has detected an earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 4.8 near Leongatha, Victoria early on Saturday 3 October, 2026. The earthquake was recorded by Geoscience Australia’s National Earthquake Alerts Centre just after 2am - at 2:01 am AEST local time near Leongatha, south east of Melbourne in Victoria. A short time later, an aftershock of magnitude 3.1 was recorded nearby. More detailed and up to date information about the earthquakes are available through the Earthquakes@GA website here . If you need assistance, please contact emergency services on 000 or the State Emergency Service in your jurisdiction. Members of the public who felt the earthquake are encouraged to lodge a felt report at Earthquakes@GA . Felt reports provide situational awareness to Australian emergency management agencies. They also inform Geoscience Australia’s hazard modelling, which helps keep Australians safer. FOR MEDIA OUTLETS: Download the interview with Geoscience Australia Seismologist Dr Hadi Ghasemi describing preliminary magnitude 4.8 earthquake near Leongatha – here: https://we.tl/t-YsXyVfUgXL9Yi2qi Media contact: Geoscience Australia Media - 1800 882 035 or media@ga.gov.au

## Key details

- Author/spokesperson: Geoscience Australia
- Published: 3 Oct 2026
- Publisher country: Australia
- Subject country/region: Victoria (Australia)
- Original source: https://www.ga.gov.au/news/earthquake-information-for-media-outlets
- MediaRelease.co URL: https://mediarelease.co/au/mr01164-preliminary-magnitude-4-8-earthquake-recorded-near-melbourne-victoria-03102026.html

Original source: https://www.ga.gov.au/news/earthquake-information-for-media-outlets
MediaRelease.co canonical URL: https://mediarelease.co/au/mr01164-preliminary-magnitude-4-8-earthquake-recorded-near-melbourne-victoria-03102026.html