Western Australia’s worst earthquake

12 May

Just before 11am on the 14th of October 1968 (the Queen's Birthday), Western Australia received its most destructive earthquake ever. The epicentre was the small Wheatbelt town of Meckering. The damage was severe. Over 100 structures were destroyed, wiping out most of the houses in the district, along with the majority of the businesses in the main street.

It was felt all over the state too, with reports of the quake in Esperance, Albany and Geraldton. It also affected Perth, where there are stories of high-rise buildings swaying for minutes after. It caused structural issues in older buildings and damaged the Kwinana Freeway. St Mary's Cathedral even lost a cross. Towns close to Meckering also had damaged buildings, like York and Northam.

Thankfully, there was no death but quite a few were injured. From there, cleanup and rebuilding of the town commenced. Although, with a much lower population since many left town. These days, Meckering is worth a visit to see several displays about the quake and walk through the original townsite (which is now vacant land). Nearby, you can also visit the remains of the Salisbury Homestead, which has been left as it was the day of the quake, and a preserved section of the earthquake fault line.

Sources:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earthquakes_in_Western_Australia

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/1968_Meckering_earthquake

https://slwa.wa.gov.au/stories/slwa-abc-radio/meckering-earthquake

https://knowledge.aidr.org.au/resources/earthquake-meckering-region-western-australia/

https://www.cunderdin.wa.gov.au/community/our-towns/history-of-meckering.aspx

https://www.goldenpipeline.com.au/place/meckering-earthquake-centre/

https://monumentaustralia.org.au/themes/disaster/earthquake/display/95335-meckering-earthquake

https://www.perthnow.com.au/news/wa/meckering-earthquake-magnitude-37-quake-shakes-houses-in-was-wheatbelt-c-17436292

https://www.allshookup.org/swsz/history.htm

https://www.watoday.com.au/national/western-australia/from-the-archives-1968-earthquake-flattens-meckering-20220928-p5blrh.html

https://shannonmeyerkort.com/2019/11/04/the-meckering-earthquake/

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-10-14/remembering-meckering-earthquake-50-years-on/10361796

https://www.goldenpipeline.com.au/place/meckering/

https://www.weekendnotes.com/meckering-earthquake-commemorating-50-years-o/

https://web.archive.org/web/20210414130050/https://meckering50yrson.com.au/

https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20040722172413/http://www.seismicity.segs.uwa.edu.au/seismicity_of_western_australia/wa_historical/meckering

https://encore.slwa.wa.gov.au/iii/encore/record/C__Rb1064093__SMeckering%20__P3%2C91__Orightresult__U__X4?lang=eng&suite=def page 119

https://www.abs.gov.au/census/find-census-data/quickstats/2021/SAL50923

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-12-29/meckering-giant-camera-museum/104609974

https://www.york.wa.gov.au/news/earthquakes-and-yorks-heritage-buildings/392

https://grandadbobsays.wordpress.com/2016/05/08/295/

Library

https://encore.slwa.wa.gov.au/iii/encore/record/C__Rb2135851__SMeckering%20__P0%2C13__Orightresult__U__X6?lang=eng&suite=def

https://encore.slwa.wa.gov.au/iii/encore/record/C__Rb1551974__SMeckering%20__P1%2C37__Orightresult__U__X6?lang=eng&suite=def

https://encore.slwa.wa.gov.au/iii/encore/record/C__Rb1913634__SMeckering%20__P1%2C39__Orightresult__U__X6?lang=eng&suite=def

https://encore.slwa.wa.gov.au/iii/encore/record/C__Rb2126057__SMeckering%20__P1%2C43__Orightresult__U__X6?lang=eng&suite=def

https://encore.slwa.wa.gov.au/iii/encore/record/C__Rb1426898__SMeckering%20__P3%2C95__Orightresult__U__X4?lang=eng&suite=def

Newspapers:

August 8th, 1849

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/page/6596478

A slight shock

October 14, 1916

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/211701507?searchTerm=meckering%20earthquake

1916 foreshadowing

October 15th, 1968

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/page/14535293

Front page news. Heavy rain after the quake.

October 16th, 1968

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/page/14535335

An early headline about the town being moved

October 17th, 1968

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/page/14535380

“Meckering is shattered”

November 8th, 1968

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/page/22545304

Police station and attached living quarters survived. You guessed it! Timber frame construction

Photo of bakery still standing

November 15th, 1968

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/136955462?searchTerm=%22meckering%22

The commonwealth provided $50,000 for the earthquake relief fund

November 15th, 1968

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/201779108?searchTerm=%22meckering%22

An article about the army huts. The article ends by saying they’re free

November 21st, 1968

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/136956753?searchTerm=%22meckering%22

Even the US government ponied up $500 for the relief fund

December 4th, 1968

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/136959026?searchTerm=%22meckering%22

An original town location to the east was blocked by a resident not wanting to give up their land. They claimed it was bad enough to lose their house in the quake, but was only being offered $1,300 for the land. They estimated it was worth closer to $20,000

January 18th, 1969

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/page/11667339

Talks about stalemates between residents in picking a new town location (like costs associated with a new sewer system) and those struggling. Many did not have insurance against earthquake damage, with the initial $3,000 not going far enough. Government not willing to hand out low interest loans. Anger at the army not being free, when it was thought they were

December 12th, 1969

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/202735498?searchTerm=%22meckering%22

62 of the 64 houses built since the earthquake have been timber framed

January 18th, 1990

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/120873056?searchTerm=meckering%20earthquake

another earthquake measured 5.5 on the Richter scale. No damage?

Images:

https://aees.org.au/gallery/1968-meckering/

Telescoped pipeline

https://aees.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/19681014WaterPipelr.jpg

Aerial of town after quake

https://aees.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/meckering_21.jpg