Historic buildings damaged in Aust quake

PERTH - About a dozen historic buildings and a school have been damaged by an earthquake in the city of Kalgoorlie-Boulder in Western Australia's goldfields.

The quake, measuring 5.0, is the biggest to hit the gold mining region in 50 years, Geoscience Australia said.

The quake occurred about 1pm yesterday, about 2km southwest of the Kalgoorlie city centre, but most of the damage was felt in Boulder.

The Fire and Emergency Services Authority said about a dozen buildings were damaged in Boulder, mainly on Burt, Moran and Piesse Sts.

"A balcony has collapsed at the Golden Eagle Hotel on Lionel St and there has been damage to the Rock Hotel on Burt St," FESA said.

"There has been severe structural damage to Boulder Primary School including a ceiling collapse."

Students were moved to a safer part of the school and were collected by their parents, FESA said.

Firefighters were also called to a gas leak in Boulder.

Two people were treated for minor injuries at Kalgoorlie Hospital.

A Geoscience Australia spokesman said the quake was the largest to hit the city, a mining centre 600km east of Perth. Previous earthquakes in the region have not exceeded 4.2 on the Richter scale.

"This is quite a large earthquake for Australia and a shallow, potentially damaging, earthquake," he said.

WA Premier Colin Barnett said the quake had caused some structural damage to schools in the region, which were closed for the day for safety checks.

Australia's largest mine, in the heart of Kalgoorlie, the Super Pit gold mine operated by the Barrick/Newmont joint venture called Kalgoorlie Consolidated Gold Mines, has been temporarily shut.

Australian Workers Union national secretary Paul Howes said first reports suggested that all members were safe.

Aftershocks, smaller than the main earthquake, were expected and could cause more damage to weakened structures, FESA said.

Residents in the city have been told to turn off electricity, gas and power and told not to use matches, cigarette lighters or naked flames because of potential gas leaks.

A number of roads in the town have been closed, and people have been told to be wary of fallen powerlines and falling debris.

- AAP