There is a peaceful charm about Pooncarie. There it stands on the Darling River halfway between Menindee and Wilcannia.
It is a deservedly famous old paddlesteamer port and, for years was known simply as "The Port". Today it is a classic Outback town. Just a hotel, a general store, a post office and a small tightly knit community. It is about as far away from Sydney as any place in the state being 1170 km via the Great Western, Mid Western and Sturt Highways.
There was a time, back around the 1850s, when the town buzzed with activity as paddlesteamers, laden down with wool from north-western NSW and south-western Queensland was brought through the port on its way to South Australia.
If you are visiting try and make sure you go when the local race meeting is on.
