Six earthquakes recorded at Apollo Bay since October 22

Warrnambool residents reported feeling the tremor of the earthquake, which occurred at 2.11am.

A further five earthquakes in the area of the initial tremor have been recorded since.

There were reports from more than 8000 people who felt the initial earthquake, while there have continued to be reports from a smaller number of people who have felt the aftershocks.

The second earthquake occurred at 5.45am and was a magnitude 3.8.

The third occurred on Monday, October 23 at 2.27pm and was felt by a number of residents.

A further two earthquakes were reported on Tuesday.

The first had a magnitude of 3.7 at 1.17am while the second occurred at 3.18am and had a 2.7 magnitude.

Geoscience Australia senior seismologist Tanja Pejic said multiple earthquakes were recorded across Australia every day.

"Earthquakes typically occur as a series of events along a fault," Ms Pejic said.

She said the seismology community uses the terms mainshock, foreshock and aftershock after an earthquake occurs.

"Mainshock is the name given to the event in the series with the largest magnitude," Ms Pejic said.

"Often, it's the first event and, consequently, the events which follow (within some very loosely defined time frame) are called aftershocks.

"Sometimes, the largest event will not be the first in the sequence. In this case, those events which came before the mainshock are called foreshocks.

"Not every earthquake includes foreshocks but every earthquake does include aftershocks.

"Generally, aftershocks will be smaller and less frequent as time goes by."

Ms Pejic said aftershocks of the Otway Ranges earthquake, which has been revised to magnitude 4.7, were being recorded.

"Aftershocks are common following any moderate-to-large earthquake and they occur due to redistribution of (tectonic) stress around the ruptured fault," she said.

"As such, further shaking is expected in days, weeks, months."

A number of south-west residents reported feeling the tremor when the earthquake hit Apollo Bay on Sunday morning.

"Sitting outside on decking. Felt like a slow train swaying," wrote Helen O'Brien.

"My bed shook quite heavily," wrote Anita Senior.

The Standard reported in September 2021 tremors from an earthquake near Mansfield were felt in Warrnambool.

The magnitude 5.9 earthquake was the highest magnitude earthquake recorded in the state since Geoscience Australia's records began in the early 1900s.

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