The most powerful onshore earthquake in half a century shook Queensland residents awake, with vibrations reaching from Hervey Bay to areas in northern New South Wales.

The epicentre struck around 200km north of Brisbane about 9.50am at a depth of 10km, with thousands of residents reporting they felt the quake.

More tremors could be on the way and Queenslanders have been warned to brace for some mild aftershocks, according to Geoscience Australia.

”This is the largest earthquake we’ve had onshore in Queensland for 50 years,” seismologist Michelle Salmon said yesterday.

“We can certainly expect more aftershocks from this event.”

The initial quake was felt by around 20,000 people and left 13,000 properties without power.

Locals in the rural Queensland town of Kilkivan, where the epicentre is located, couldn’t quite believe the ferocity of the earthquake.

“I was sitting outdoors eating breakfast when suddenly there was this massive… it seemed like an explosion, as if a gas cylinder had detonated,” a witness shared with Today.

“Tiny town. Nothing normally happens out here.”

The quake was felt as far away as Brisbane, with witness reports saying they felt the shake as far afield as Bundaberg and the Gold Coast.

There have been no reported injuries or major damage.

”I don’t think anybody expected to wake up to that today in Queensland,” Premier David Crisafulli said yesterday.

“There’s been some amazing stories that have come through and we obviously are waiting to see… damage and we hope everyone is OK.”