Australia has been hit by its biggest earthquake in 15 years, seismologists said, rattling a remote part of the desert with local Aboriginals reporting strong shaking but no major damage, AFP reported.

The 6.1-magnitude earthquake had its epicenter near Ernabella, in the middle of Australia, at a shallow depth of three kilometers (1.8 miles), Geoscience Australia said on Saturday, March 24.

Ernabella is an indigenous arts hub home to about 500 Aboriginal people, some 317 kilometers southwest of the popular Alice Springs.

Seismologist David Jepsen said: "An event like this, there are a number of Aboriginal communities around there and they have experienced strong shaking.”

It was Australia's biggest quake since a 6.3-magnitude one was recorded in West Australia in 1997.