Victorians encouraged to “Drop, Cover, and Hold On” for Great ShakeOut

13/10/2025, 3:41 PM
VICSES Greater Dandenong Unit volunteers attended Keysborough Secondary College this week to teach students how to Drop, Cover and Hold On to stay safe during an earthquake event, ahead of the worldwide Great Shakeout earthquake preparedness drill on 16 October.

SES volunteers today joined students from Keysborough Secondary College and Geoscience Australia CEO Melissa Harris for a hands-on earthquake drill, helping the next generation of Victorians learn and practise how to “Drop, Cover, and Hold On” ahead of the world’s largest earthquake safety drill, the 2025 Great ShakeOut.

Held annually on October 16, millions of people across the world take part in the ShakeOut, practising the simple actions that can save lives during an earthquake.

As the control agency for earthquakes in Victoria, VICSES plays a role in leading community preparedness and response when any earthquake emergency occurs. Today’s launch pre-empts several drills taking place across the state on Thursday.

Victoria’s largest recorded earthquake, the magnitude 5.9 with an epicentre at Woods Point on 21 September 2021, caused around $113 million in damage, with over 43,000 felt reports submitted across Victoria and neighbouring states. Volunteers responded to more than 100 calls for SES assistance during that event.

Despite the widespread impact, very few injuries occurred, largely due to the COVID-19 lockdown in place at the time, meaning many people were indoors and away from falling debris. Analysis of felt reports from the 2021 earthquake showed that only 3.1 per cent of people followed the “Drop, Cover, and Hold On” advice, while nearly half (48.7 per cent) took no action.

Students practised clambering under desks to stay safe during the earthquake simulation.

 While earthquakes are often associated with other parts of the world, Victoria experiences an average of six earthquakes greater than a magnitude 3.0 per year, and one magnitude 5.0 earthquake every five years. Additionally, the latest update to the National Seismic Hazard Assessment shows Victoria’s high country has a higher earthquake risk than previously thought.

VICSES and Geoscience Australia are continuing to work together to raise awareness and improve community readiness for future earthquake events, encouraging communities to get involved and understand what to do when the ground starts to move.

The Keysborough Secondary College campus is home to one of Victoria’s seismographs, operated in partnership with AuScope, providing students with a unique opportunity to learn about earthquake science and preparedness firsthand.

If you feel the ground start to shake, remember to drop to the ground onto your hands and knees, cover your head and neck with one arm and hand while taking shelter under a sturdy table or desk if possible, and hold on until the shaking stops.

Following an Earthquake, and once safe, the community can submit a felt report to earthquakes.ga.gov.au to help Geoscience Australia improve national understanding of earthquake hazards and risks.

VICSES encourages all Victorians, including schools, workplaces, and community groups, to register and take part in this year’s Great ShakeOut. Resources, including information for people with disability or mobility limitations, are available via the VICSES website: www.ses.vic.gov.au/know-your-hazards/earthquake.

Quotes attributable to VICSES Chief Officer Operations, Alistair Drayton:

“Earthquakes can and do happen in Victoria. The Great ShakeOut is a simple but powerful reminder that the best defence in any emergency is to be prepared. Knowing what to do, and practising it, can make all the difference during a real-life event.”

Quotes attributable to Geoscience Australia CEO, Melissa Harris:

“Geoscience Australia monitors for earthquakes all day and night as the government’s trusted source of Earth science information and advice,” she said.

“If you feel an earthquake, log a felt report at Earthquakes@GA. The more we know about the ground beneath our feet, the better prepared we can be as a community to build resilience and prepare for the risk of ground shaking from earthquakes across Australia.” 

Quotes attributable to Keysborough Secondary School Assistant Principal, Matthew Sloan:

“Taking part in the Great ShakeOut gives our students a hands-on understanding of how to respond safely in an emergency. It’s an important opportunity to build confidence and awareness, not just at school but within their families and the wider community.”