Two airport towers evacuated after earthquake strikes off Queensland coast
Two airport towers were evacuated and patrons at a waterfront golf club were left in fear of a tsunami after an earthquake struck off Queensland's coast on Thursday.
Workers and members at oceanfront Bowen Golf Club said the clubhouse "shook violently" during a magnitude 5.8 earthquake, which Geoscience Australia recorded at 2.30pm.
The earthquake struck off the Queensland coast. Source: Twitter
Bowen Golf Club employee Margaret Need said everyone was wondering what was happening when the two-storey timber clubhouse started shaking.
"It was only for a few seconds and we were more concerned about the ocean," Ms Need told AAP.
"If the ocean started sucking out we would have started running because we are right on the beachfront. We just watched that for a bit to see if there was any change in the water.
"The clubhouse shook violently and it was very scary."
Both the Cairns and Mackay Airport towers were evacuation "as a precaution" according to a statement, with operations temporarily ceased.
The two towers were reopened in less than an hour.
A number of flights have been delayed by the evacuation with the North Queensland Airports Group advising travellers to check with their airline about schedule changes.
One flight from Brisbane to Cairns was turned back due to the airport closure, but that flight is expected to make the trip again on Thursday.
The seismogram data. Source: Geoscience Australia
Earthquake experts advised there was no tsunami threat after the quake to the Australian mainland, islands or territories.
Ms Need said it was the most violent earthquake she'd experienced while working at the golf club, after an earlier quake about four or five years ago.
"(The first quake) was only light, but this shook really badly," she said.
Thursday's earthquake follows a magnitude 4.4 strike off the coast of Bundaberg, 800km south of Bowen, on Saturday.
In audio shared online, buildings were left shaking for close to a minute.
Geoscience Australia says the quake was felt by people up to 376km away.
There are reports up to 500 holidaymakers on Hayman Island were told to evacuate the buildings to the tennis court before the all clear was given.
Giru resident Linda Peller said she thought a "bomb had gone off" when the earthquake struck.
"I heard a loud rumbling and the whole building shook," she posted on social media.
The Whitsunday Regional Council issued a statement within about half an hour of the earthquake being registered that there was no tsunami threat.
"Earthquakes of this magnitude are often followed by aftershocks. Council and emergency services are out across the Whitsundays patrolling for any damage received to buildings or infrastructure," it said.
So far no reports of damage have been made.
