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Detectives have alleged nine-year-old Charlise Mutten died from a gunshot wound, in what the Homicide Squad boss called an "unimaginable and egregious murder".

The schoolgirl was found dead in a plastic barrel on the banks of the Colo River in NSW last week, about an hour from where she was last seen in the Blue Mountains.

Her mother's partner Justin Stein, 31, has been charged with her murder.

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"The cause of death of Charlise was that she suffered a fatal gunshot wound, and that's how she died," Homicide Squad Commander Danny Doherty said today.

"We're disclosing this for investigative reasons but also just to clear up any ambiguity… this is the (alleged) murder of a nine-year-old girl."

The little girl's family has only recently been told how she died.

"It's important that they know, and it's important that the public know that this is an unimaginable and egregious (alleged) murder of a child," he said.

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Police are still searching the Mount Wilson property where Charlise was last seen and the surrounding areas for a gun.

Detective Superintendent Doherty said the barrel Charlise was found in is believed to be from the property and police believe there is a "high probability" she died there.

Charlise's mother Kallista Mutten has been reinterviewed and is being treated as a witness.

Detective Superintendent Doherty said Ms Mutten was not believed to have been at the property at the time police allege Charlise was murdered.

It comes as new CCTV was released, showing a ute towing a boat at multiple locations across Sydney.

The CCTV footage shows the maroon coloured ute towing a covered boat at three locations on the evening of January 13.

Just before 6pm, the ute pulls into a BP gas station at Marsden Park, in Sydney's north-west.

Then, at 7.17pm, the ute and boat are spotted in traffic in Drummoyne, in Sydney's inner west.

Minutes later, close to the Five Dock Bay Boat Ramp near Drummoyne, the ute is captured on a home's private security system.

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Police believe the little girl was killed on January 11 or 12.

Charlise was visiting her mother for the school holidays from Queensland, where she lives, at the time of her death.

Mr Stein is due to reappear in court in March.

Hundreds of Western Australians reported feeling the ground move early this morning, after a 4.7 magnitude earthquake which was part of a wider "swarm" of minor quakes hit east of Perth.

One woman who spoke with radio station 6PR claimed her bed had lifted several centimetres off the floor.

The 5.24am earthquake was recorded west of Wagin, about 230 kilometres south-east of Perth, at a depth of eight kilometres. It was the largest rumble in a series of dozens of quakes over the past seven days.

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https://omny.fm/shows/6pr-breakfast/swarm-of-activity-preceded-wagin-earthquake/embed?style=cover

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Geoscience Australia (GA) warned Western Australians to expect more aftershocks throughout the morning.

GA senior seismologist Tania Pejic told 6PR there had been a "swarm" of earthquakes recorded over the past week.

"There's no good explanation as to why swarms occur," she said.

"What they are is a big number of earthquakes occurring over a small period of time without a discernible main shock."

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Ms Pejic said GA had recorded in excess of 30 earthquakes in the area over the last seven days.

It was not possible to know if this morning's earthquake was going to be the peak of the swarm, she said.

In the first hour after the earthquake, more than 500 reports were submitted by the public, GA said.

By 6.38am, an aftershock with a preliminary magnitude of 3.6 had been recorded by GA's National Earthquake Alerts Centre.

There are so far no confirmed reports of damage.

More than 600 mosquitos of the same species were caught in a single backyard trap in New South Wales over the weekend, proving the blood-sucking insects are thriving in wet weather.

Associate Professor Cameron Webb from NSW Health Pathology caught 605 "backyard mosquitoes", otherwise known as Aedes notoscriptus, in one Sydney trap on Sunday.

The species "readily attacks humans".

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Dr Webb told 9News.com.au the amount smashes the previous record of the same species caught.

"The previous highest amount of backyard mosquitoes caught was 417," he said.

"I'm trying to claim a new world record.

"(But) while this is a huge collection of this one particular species, it is only an 'average' collection for this time of year when considering all mosquitoes.

"Our biggest trap collection was over 35,000 mosquitoes in a single trap."

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Last year Dr Webb predicted mosquito populations would explode due humid and wet weather conditions brought on by La Niña.

"This is absolutely what we'd expect to see given the conditions," he confirmed today.

"They're thriving because mosquitos prefer warmth, and they love water."

There are about 300 mosquito species in Australia and they're found in "most parts of Australia".

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Two mosquito-borne illnesses are found in Australia; Ross River virus and Dengue, which is found in the Top End.

While the risk is small, every state and territory in the country is potentially at risk of Ross River virus, Dr Webb added.

The best way to protect your flesh from mosquitoes is to wear a good insect repellent, which contains DEET, picaridin or lemon eucalyptus oil, Dr Webb said.

This should be re-applied after swimming or exercise.

Long sleeves, pants, shoes and socks should be worn wherever possible and outdoor plants and containers should be checked once a week to see if they've filled with water.

"Tip water-filled containers out, you don't want to provide a breeding ground for the insects," Dr Webb said.