Earthquake hits NSW Hunter Region weeks after two similar events

An earthquake has hit New South Wales' Hunter Region two weeks after similar events in the area. 

The Seismology Research Centre recorded a magnitude-4.5  earthquake near Muswellbrook shortly before 6am on Saturday.

"Another large earthquake has occurred near Muswellbrook NSW," it said.

"This magnitude 4.5 earthquake occurred at 5:58am local time."

Ausgrid said 185 customers were still without power in Muswellbrook, Denman, Jerrys Plains, Bureen, Bengalla. 

Earlier, around 2,500 customers were affected.

Ausgrid said crews were on site and patrolling hazards and faults, and anyone in the area was warned not to approach downed power lines.   

Geoscience Australia reported the earthquake happened at a depth of 5 kilometres.

Senior seismologist Trevor Allen said the quake was felt outside the Hunter region.

"We've received around about 850 felt reports from people in the community, and we can see that it was felt very strongly in the Muswellbrook region itself, and also felt as far away as Wollongong, Tamworth and Gulgong," he said.

About 100 people have also reported some form of damage to their property.

Geoscience Australia said the damage reports were unverified, but included damage to masonry and hairline cracking to plaster.

The US Geological Survey also recorded the quake, reporting it occurred in Denman, about 26km south-west of Muswellbrook, and 250km north of Sydney.

It came two weeks after other quakes in the region.

On August 23, a magnitude-4.7 tremor rattled New South Wales close to the proposed site of a nuclear power plant.

More than 2,500 people from as far away as Coffs Harbour, Sydney and Canberra reported the quake to Geoscience Australia.

A day later, on August 24, another 4.5-magnitude quake hit at 4:40pm near Muswellbrook. It was felt by 600 people.