Shocked residents in and around the epicentre of Wednesday's earthquake have described the sound as like a freight train or a jet plane passing overhead.
Homeowners in the Mansfield region reported houses shifting, paintings falling off walls and books toppling from shelves.
Pets disappeared, horses were spooked and fish were jumping out of the water. One driver thought she had hit a wombat until she learnt the source of the ground moving.
Geoscience Australia said a 5.8 magnitude earthquake was recorded at a depth of 10km at 9.15am with its epicentre near Mansfield.
The earthquake caused significant damage to buildings in Melbourne. Onlookers are pictured gathering at the city's popular Chapel Street shopping centre on Wednesday morning
A woman from Benalla, about 60km north of Mansfield, filmed her house shaking when the earthquake hit (pictured)
Mansfield sits in the foothills of the Victorian Alps, 180km north-east of Melbourne; the town and surrounding area had a population of 4,787 at the last Census.
The region was once heavily dependent on farming and logging but is now a tourist centre. Mansfield is a gateway to the Mount Buller ski resort.
Margot Trellu from Mansfield wrote on Twitter she had felt 'a lot of shaking' but was unaware of any major damage to the town.
'Most people rushing out of shops,' Ms Trellu wrote. 'Lasted about 10-15 seconds. Friends of mine said livestock were all going crazy.
'Very scary for many people as we don't get earthquakes here.'
The Mansfield & District Community Noticeboard on Facebook was inundated with messages from members who live in the area.
Geoscience Australia said a 5.8 magnitude earthquake was recorded at a depth of 10km at 9.15am with its epicentre near Mansfield
Shocked residents in and around the epicentre of Wednesday's earthquake have described the sound as like a freight train or a jet plane passing overhead
'My heart is still pumping,' one wrote. 'A little bit spooky, thought it was a truck going past the house, then
