Sonic Boom/Tremors in Perth Mystery

I got up today to see on the news a story about a mysterious sonic boom and earth tremors felt around the Perth area, Western Australia's capital city, with windows rattling, roofs shaking etc. Geoscience Australia initially claimed it was an earthquake. There was a 2.0 quake at the same time, but this was a further 250km inland to the NE of Perth & Geoscience Aust later said there was no way it was the cause.

Being on the other side of the country I hadn't heard anything about this, but the explanation on the news today made me immediately look into it.

The 'official' explanation is that it was due to an FA-18 breaking the sound barrier, almost 100km out to sea. To me, having worked with the RAAF & USAF while they do low level flights (on the ground in the Army), this seems a bit too far away for this to be a correct explanation.

I have no idea what could have caused this, hence being in Skunk Works. I was wondering what others out there think of this official explanation. Are there any ATS'ers in the Perth area who felt this & what do they think. I have no real idea but I just dont buy the official story.

www.perthnow.com.au... has a news video report.

www.abc.net.au...

www.ga.gov.au...

From the ABC report:

The exercise was performed more than 90 kilometres off the West Australian coast but because of the weather conditions it was felt throughout the Perth Metropolitan area.

"We have had an inversion layer out there and with onshore breeze, it appears to have carried the sound and a sonic boom over the mainland," Mr Booth said.

The wind direction should be easy enough to check - dunno how you check an inversion layer tho.