Geoscience Australia registered a 5.6 magnitude earthquake near the Wrattens National Park at Kilkivan, about 170km northwest of Brisbane, on Saturday morning.
The quake was recorded about 9.50am at a depth of 10km.
More than 10,000 "felt reports" were received by the agency within an hour.
Mark Barton and others at Peregian Beach on Queensland's Sunshine Coast felt the quake about 85km away.
"We thought initially there might be some construction work gone wrong," he told AAP.
"Then the vibrations got quite strong, and stronger.
"The windows were rattling and the whole house was shaking, not violently but quite noticeably."
The vibrations went on for about a minute, bringing neighbours out into the street.
"It caused, not panic, but it caused people to be a bit scared," Mr Barton said.
The Joint Australian Tsunami Warning Centre advised there was no tsunami threat.
More than 11,000 customers near the epicentre were left without power following the quake, network operator Ergon Energy said.
Earthquakes of more than magnitude five occur every one to two years, with an average of 100 quakes at magnitude three or lower recorded each year in Australia, according to the agency.
A 3.2 magnitude earthquake was recorded on Victoria's Mornington Peninsula on Wednesday, following a 3.6 magnitude earthquake recorded west of Kingscote on South Australia's Kangaroo Island on Tuesday.
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