A quake measuring magnitude 5.2 struck near Mt Ruapehu early on Saturday morning.
Though it was strong, it was also 127km deep.
More than 3000 people reported feeling it on the GeoNet website, mostly along the southwestern coast of the North Island, Taranaki and Hawke's Bay.
There were reports though as far north as Tauranga and south as Christchurch.
"OK, fair enough, that was a decent #eqnz," one person wrote on Twitter. "A bit of an announcement wobble too, before the main wave passed through."
"The two distinct parts of that quake suggests it wasn't super close so could have been quite big," said another.
"Choc fish for anyone who felt that," tweeted Taranaki Civil Defence.
Nearby Mt Ruapehu's volcanic alert level remained unchanged at 1 on Saturday morning, meaning 'minor volcanic unrest'.
