Australia's Melbourne's northeastern suburbs have been stricken by a minor 1.5 magnitude quake just before 7am (AEST) on Friday. Residents reported first hearing a loud explosion before feeling that the ground actually shook underneath.

Australia’s Melbourne Shaken By 1.5 Magnitude Quake, Residents Report Hearing Loud Explosion, Epicentre Had a House on Top, Homeowners Felt Nothing

''It was like a 44-gallon drum exploding outside the front door,'' Anthony from Mt Dandenong told 3AW. ''About 10 seconds afterwards, you could hear an echo.''

''There was a boom and the house shook," Croydon resident Grant told the radio station.

Geoscience Australia's seismograph from its Toolangi station of the small earthquake.

The epicentre was recorded one kilometres below the surface near Grandvalley Drive in Lilydale, which is 32kms east away of Melbourne, according to Geosciences Australia. And the epicentre had a house on top.

Its house owners, Phillip Muscara and his wife, didn't feel a thing.

Australia’s Melbourne Shaken By 1.5 Magnitude Quake, Residents Report Hearing Loud Explosion, Epicentre Had a House on Top, Homeowners Felt Nothing

"I asked my wife if she heard anything, and she said no. I guess we're in not too much danger," he told Brisbane Times.

Even neighbors didn't realize what had happened if they didn't turn on their morning radios on.

"I woke up, and 3AW was saying there had been an earthquake on the corner of Maroondah Hwy and Grandvalley Drive," local resident Hilary Oakley told Fairfax Media.

But Ms Oakley did say that she heard a loud noise at 7am.

"I thought it was one of the big trucks that go through here. They make some strange noises," she said.

Steve Tatham, Geosciences Australia duty seismologist, the loud sound effects were caused by the fact that the shallow earthquake was only one kilometre below the surface. "That's probably why so many people are reporting hearing bangs and explosions rather than feeling the ground shaking," he said.

Some residents either may have heard a loud bang or rattling of windows. Some could have felt a mild shaking.

"Quick shudders, a sonic boom, perhaps an explosion, terms that relate to the sudden arrival and no long term or long duration shaking," he said.

"We have 'felt' reports from Ferntree Gully, Croydon Mount Evelyn, Montrose."

There has been no reports of damage. ''At this point, we've had 30 emails and none have reported damage,'' Mr Tatham said.