NSW earthquake: gold miners fled to underground refuge chambers when 4.5-magnitude quake hit Orange

A graphic from Geoscience Australia shows where a 4.5 magnitude earthquake hit south of Orange in central west NSW on the evening of 14 April 2026. Composite: Geoscience Australia

More than 150 workers at the Cadia goldmine in regional New South Wales were evacuated after a nearby 4.5-magnitude earthquake on Tuesday evening, according to an internal company memo.

The mine has paused all underground operations pending a safety assessment.