'Like a train': remote earthquake biggest in decades

An earthquake that sounded "like a train" and rattled cupboards was the largest in southwest Tasmania in two decades and felt across the island.

The 4.1-magnitude tremor struck at 6.38am on Thursday near Lake Pedder at a depth of 14km.

More than 120 people reported the earthquake to Geoscience Australia, including in Hobart, in Queenstown on the west coast and in Launceston in the north.

One resident in Burnie posted on social media that it sounded like a train going down the street, another south of Hobart reported glassware rattling in cupboards.

There had been no calls for assistance or damage reported, the state's emergency service said.

Geoscience Australia senior seismologist Hadi Ghasemi said it was the largest quake within a 100km radius of the epicentre in 20 years.

"Tasmani