Pooncarie is a town of 226 (2021) in the Lower Darling region of Outback New South Wales. It's one of the state's least visited towns, and practically only exists as a base for visiting the northern ends of Mungo National Park. Still, the northern sections of Mungo NP have little to offer, meaning the town only exists as a waypoint town for those feeling adventurous to travel the unsealed Pooncarie Rd from Menindee to Wentworth.
What is now the town was en route of the Burke and Wills expedition, passing the area in Sept–Oct 1860. The town was only established three years later in 1863.
Getting to Pooncarie is, to say the very least, tricky. There are only two roads to the town, both of which are unpaved and pass through some of the state's most desolate areas.
Flooding from the Darling River can impede your ability to visit Pooncarie; visiting Pooncarie during a flood may leave you stranded for days on end. Make sure you check the weather conditions from BOM before leaving.
While the town does have an airport, it has no scheduled flights, and it's unlikely there ever will.
The town area is smaller than and can be traversed on foot.
Although over 80 km away to the east, Mungo National Park 📍 is the only attraction that is within a reasonable distance from the town. See the Mungo NP article for detailed information on visiting the park.
Apart from the remarkable wonder, the only other thing to see is the Darling River. However, the river can get really low at times and the river's poor water quality has led to the deaths of many fish – meaning it's probably not a good idea to dip your feet or swim in the river.
Your only options from here are either to Menindee or Kinchega National Park if you're heading north, Wentworth or Mildura if you're heading south, or Ivanhoe if you're heading towards the Cobb Highway (B75).