The 7.2 scale earthquake was 20km deep but never considered a potential threat to New Zealand and an advisory notice issued by the New Zealand Ministry of Civil Defence was cancelled shortly before 7am.
The Ministry said: "Scientific analysis suggests that there is no threat to New Zealand, based on the earthquake magnitude, location and orientation to New Zealand," a ministry spokesman said.
Earlier the ministry said it was issuing an advisory notice and not a warning although earthquakes of 7.2 had the potential to generate a tsunami.
It briefly advised people in coastal areas to stay off beaches, out of the water and not to go sightseeing.