More than 1,800 have reported the impact of the quake, which was felt near Ballarat to the west of Melbourne and Albury-Wodonga in the state's north-east.
Professor Cummins said the earthquake was regarded as an aftershock of the 5.9-magnitude earthquake which hit in the same place in 2021.
That earthquake caused some building damage as far away as Melbourne, but no serious injuries.
"Aftershock sequences can last for quite a long time," Professor Cummins said.
"The aftershock should tail off in frequency and magnitude, but you can get some pretty large ones in that sequence."
In Melbourne's north-west, Moonee Ponds resident Sarah said she felt a "general rumble".
"I had heard the rubbish truck and I thought it was making a lot of extra noise but I realised that the apartment was actually shaking," she said.
"I tuned into ABC Radio … and the host said that he got a report an earthquake so I knew I wasn't going crazy."
East Gippsland resident Tracey said it was "a moment of shock" that roused her pets.
"I have a Siberian cat and it just sort of, opened its eyes," she said.
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