Small earthquake shakes NSW town

A NSW town has been rocked by a small earthquake in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

The magnitude 3.9 earthquake hit Appin about 1.15am and had a wide range, which meant it could be felt by Wollongong residents, who live about 35km away, Geoscience Australia said.

More than 100 people in the area called Geoscience to report they had felt the earthquake, which is strong enough to give someone a bit of a shake while they are in bed, a spokesman said.

Appin has a history of earthquakes, with an average of one tremor every one to two years over the past decade.