Reflections on the Newcastle earthquake:The next 35 years

Earthquakes remain a rare yet constant risk to communities around the world. In Australia, these have the potential for significant consequences such as the Newcastle earthquake in 1989, the Meckering earthquake in 1968 and the Adelaide earthquake in 1954, which was the most destructive earthquake recorded in Australian history until the Newcastle event. This year marks the 35th anniversary of the Newcastle earthquake and the 70th anniversary of the Adelaide earthquake. It provides an opportunity to reflect on the systems and processes available to emergency managers for prevention, preparedness, response and recovery from emergency events.