Ferguson couple’s home destroyed by Colac earthquake

A couple’s home has been condemned after a 5.0 magnitude earthquake in Colac.

Daniel and Andrea's house, located in Ferguson, damaged by the earthquake.

An Otways couple fear their home could be demolished after it was extensively damaged in an earthquake near Colac on Sunday.

Andrea and Daniel Clifford, who live in Ferguson near Beech Forest, said their home had officially been condemned by authorities.

A 5.1 magnitude earthquake occurred near Colac at 2.11am Sunday, with the tremor waking people up across Geelong as it rattled homes.

Ms Clifford said the couple was shocked to find their home of four-and-a-half-years had been damaged extensively during the earthquake and aftershocks.

According to Geoscience Australia the earthquake was followed by five aftershocks measuring 2.5, 3.6, 2.5, 2.7 and 3.7 magnitude between 5.40am on Sunday and 1.17pm on Tuesday.

Ms Clifford said when the first earthquake happened, she heard an enormous “boom”.

“I first thought a tree had fallen onto the house, then I walked into the hallway and everything was askew,” she said.

“It was really odd. It was unbelievable.

Daniel and Andrea's house, located in Ferguson, damaged by the earthquake.

“There was a lot of damage, every door was open, every draw was open, and things fell out.”

Mr Clifford said the damage to the home was “catastrophic”.

“The floors are separated from the walls, and there’s cracks on the inside,” she said.

“We were asleep at the time, and it was like a huge explosion, we didn’t feel the rocking, it was just the noise,” Mr Clifford said.

The couple said the home had been cordoned off by the SES and had been deemed in danger of collapsing.

The Cliffords are staying in emergency housing, but are looking for alternative accomodation.

“It’s not easy at the moment and we can’t find anything. It’s very disruptive and very unbelievable because you just don’t expect that,” Ms Clifford said.

“I still sit here and go, did that really happen? The first day I was in shock, I couldn’t believe it.”

Adam Pascale, chief scientist at the Seismology Research Centre, said while Colac was the largest nearby town, the epicentre was in the Otway Ranges.

“Wherever you’ve got mountains you’ve got earthquakes,” he said.

The Beechy Hotel, in Beech Forest, suffered some damage with a concrete water tank collapsing and falling into pieces.

Originally published as Ferguson couple’s home destroyed by Colac earthquake