MORE than 40 people in Gunning, Yass, Dalton, Jerrawa and surrounding areas awoke to a magnitude 2.8 earthquake that struck at 6.40am on Monday.
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The epicentre was in Gunning according to Geoscience Australia.
Carolyn Blakeley on Coolalie Road, Jerrawa, about 14 kilometres from Yass, said it was her first experience of an earthquake having lived in the house for 30 years.
"There was a thud like someone had bunted the house! My only casualty was a wooden duck that fell off a shelf. Fortunately, it wasn't broken," she said.
Mel Smith in Dalton said the earthquake was the same as many others she's felt as a lifelong village resident but it frightened her two-year-old daughter in bed.
She was sat outside on her veranda at the time.
"It was like others where you could hear the rumble coming and then there was a big shake and a shudder," she said.
Her daughter complained of the earthquake being "a bit noisy", Ms Smith said, after she explained what the commotion was.
Dianna Nixon in Gunning thought it was thunder at first.
"There was a rumble and a big bang, similar to a train approaching closely or a big bang of thunder that caused a vibration through the house. I was lying in bed and it certainly gave the bed a shake, but it wasn't strong enough to knock anything over," she said.
Yass residents Mick and Lori Newling's spaniel Bella ran into their bedroom and looked out the window before racing outside and barking.
While the couple didn't feel the earthquake, Mr Newling had to jump out of bed to stop Bella from waking the neighbour!
It is unlikely that an earthquake of this size would cause any damage to infrastructure despite being felt by people, Geoscience Australia duty seismologist Jesse Dimech said.
Geoscience Australia shows the earthquake was also felt by stations in Canberra, Young, Cobar and Sydney.
This is not the first or largest earthquake to hit Gunning, either.
The largest earthquake on record for the area was estimated to be a 5.6 magnitude in 1934, according to Geoscience Australia's records.
Earthquake activity has also been reported in other parts of the Upper Lachlan Shire since 1883.
On average, the Upper Lachlan Shire will experience roughly one to two magnitude 2.5 earthquakes a year.
Less than two weeks ago, a 3.1 magnitude earthquake shook the region, with the epicentre in Taralga.
The Yass Valley also experiences, on average, ten earthquakes per year, with a magnitude range of 1.1 to 2.8.
Murrumbateman was shaken by a magnitude 2.6 earthquake in December.
