Residents in parts of the Western Plains may have felt a slight tremor Monday night after a magnitude 3.3 earthquake was recorded near Mendooran in the early morning of Monday 7 July.

Geoscience Australia confirmed the quake struck at 1:15am at a shallow depth of 7 kilometres.

The epicentre was about 20 kilometres west of Mendooran.

Nearby towns including Gilgandra, Dunedoo and Dubbo felt the tremor’s effects, with residents reporting light shaking and rattling windows.

While no damage or injuries have been reported, the unusual overnight quake has sparked plenty of chatter in the community, with locals taking to social media to share their experiences.

One resident described it as “short and sharp, made the floor vibrate and the doors rattle.”

Another said, “I initially thought someone was trying to break in as some things in the house rattled,” while a third added, “There was a clap of thunder, the house shook and windows rattled.”

The recent magnitude 3.3 earthquake near Mendooran is part of a noticeable uptick in seismic activity across the Western Plains region.

Location of the quake on Monday 7 July. SOURCE: Geoscience Australia

This latest quake is not far from where a light magnitude 2.7 earthquake hit, 23 kilometres east of Gilgandra, in the early hours of Thursday 24 April 2025.

Just over six weeks ago, on 24 May a significant magnitude 5.2 quake struck in The Marra area near Nyngan, followed by aftershocks measuring 4.2 and 3.6.

Residents as far as Dubbo and Narrabri reported feeling the tremors.

While earthquakes of this magnitude are generally not destructive, their frequency has prompted discussions about the region's preparedness for seismic events.

The situation continues to be monitored, and residents are encouraged to report any tremors they experience to Geoscience Australia.