NSW · Wentworth Council

Pooncarie, 2648

Est. population · Jun 2025

160

Growth (1 yr)

+0.6%

Growth (5 yr)

+1.3%

Median age

40

Median income

$1,031/wk

Employment rate

53.4%

University qualified

2.7%

Work from home

30%

Median house price · October to December 2025

$423,000

Languages at home

1.9%non-English

Most common: Tagalog

2021 Census · usual residence

Desirability score

27.7/100
Below average

2110th in NSW

Verified 95% confidence

How this score is calculated
  • Agricultural
  • Green suburb
  • Remote
What Pooncarie is known for: Agricultural, Green suburb, Remote

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Pooncarie, NSW suburb snapshot — Suburb Guide

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Suburb Guide, “Pooncarie, NSW Suburb Guide”, updated 1 October 2026, https://suburb.guide/nsw/pooncarie

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Suburb profile

Pooncarie is a remote locality in New South Wales, in Wentworth Council. It is close to the Darling River.

Open-space access is exceptionally strong, placing it among the highest-ranked remote localities, and local school ICSEA scores sit well above the peer median. Population growth is an exceptional strength, and recorded road crashes are a relative strength, with recorded road crashes 73% below the peer median. Space is a strength, but car dependence is high. Housing is among the most expensive in its peer group, with median house prices 51% above the peer median.

Pooncarie is a better fit for people who value open space and school quality more than lower housing costs.

Generated from the official metrics on this page. It can omit nuance or contain errors — check the tables and source notes before relying on it.

Strengths and weaknesses

Remote locality · compared with remote localities in New South Wales (181)

Strengths

  • Open-space access is exceptionally strong
  • Population growth is a relative strength
  • Local school ICSEA scores sit well above the peer median
  • Recorded road crashes are a relative strength

Weaknesses

  • Housing is among the most expensive in its peer group

What stands out

  • Darling River
  • Space is a strength, but car dependence is high

Who it suits

  • Families
  • Professionals
  • Retirees
  • Students
  • Budget buyers

Housing, growth and risk

How Pooncarie compares

A quick read of housing, growth, livability, and risk

Median house price

$423k

+5.6% change

Median rent

$380/wk

Population (ERP)

160

+0.6% annual growth

Dwelling vacancy

20.3%

Census unoccupied dwellings

Livability profile

Desirability pillars vs the peer median (50th percentile)

How it compares

Relative standing using percentiles, ranks, and national deciles

Desirability

#160

among Country & regional · Established

Crime rate

81st

percentile in state (higher = more crime)

Pop. growth

54th

percentile in NSW

Rented dwellings

17%

2021 Census tenure

Advantage (IRSAD)

5/10

national SEIFA decile

School ICSEA

20th

percentile among schools with ICSEA

Population growth

Recent ERP change over 1 and 5 years

Housing mix

Dwelling types from the 2021 Census

Risks & flags

Quick scan — open a section below for full context

Living here

Desirability

Ranks & confidence
Desirability score
27.7/100 — Below average
National rank
6616th in Australia
State rank
2110th in NSW
Peer rank
#160 among Country & regional · Established suburbs
Cohort rank
#1032 among Country & regional suburbs
Data confidence
95%

Data sources & freshness

  • Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived) · current · Updated

Housing

All types (January to March 2026)
$380
Median house price (October to December 2025)
$423,000
Median price change
+5.6%

Median weekly rent from NSW DCJ rent tables. Figures can be unreliable where few bonds were lodged in the quarter.

Contributes to desirability score · Housing (10%) · Future Growth (6%)

Household crowding and healthy vacancy — not cheapness Modest price change as a healthy-growth band

Data sources & freshness

Population

Estimated resident population

160(June 2025)

+0.6% annual · +1.3% over 5 years · 54th percentile in NSW

Growth figures & methodology
Annual growth
+0.6%
5-year growth
+1.3%
Change in 1 year
+1
Change in 5 years
+2
Growth rank in NSW
54th percentile

ABS Estimated Resident Population allocated to this suburb from SA2-level data. Not an official ABS suburb count.

Methodology

Figures are allocated from ABS Estimated Resident Population at Statistical Area Level 2 (SA2), using 2021 Census share within overlapping SA2 regions. Where Census data is unavailable, area overlap is used instead.

The dashed chart line is a simple growth-trend estimate to June 2030 (~150), extrapolated at -0.1% average annual growth since 2011. It is illustrative only — not an official ABS forecast.

2021 Census figures

2021 Census

Population
226
Median age
40
Median household income / week
$1,031
Dwelling vacancy
20.3%
Unoccupied private dwellings
14 of 69
Median monthly mortgage
$2,000
Median weekly rent (2021 Census)
$205
Tenure (owned / mortgaged / rented)
56.5% / 26.1% / 17.4%
Employment rate
53.4%
Travel to work (WFH / public transport / car)
30% / 3% / 53%
Walked or cycled to work
4%
Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
55 / 0 / 0

Contributes to desirability score · Community (12%) · Accessibility (12%) · Future Growth (6%)

Employment, household income and owned-outright tenure (2021 Census) Work-from-home and public-transport commute shares (2021 Census) Five-year population change as a healthy-growth band, not a boom bonus

Data sources & freshness

  • 2021 Census — General Community Profile (including method of travel to work and educational attainment) — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated

    The 2026 Census was conducted in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.

  • Estimated Resident Population — Australian Bureau of Statistics · 2025 · Updated · SA2 ERP allocated to suburb boundaries

Qualifications

2.7% of adults have a university degree, compared with 27.8% across New South Wales. 24.5% have a trade or vocational qualification.

  • University qualified2.7% · 27.8% NSW
  • Diploma qualified2.7% · 9.3% NSW
  • Trade / vocational24.5% · 15% NSW
  • Year 12 or below70.2% · 47.9% NSW

Highest qualification field

Main field of the highest non-school qualification (2021 Census).

  • Engineering and related technologies38.6%
  • Agriculture and environment17.5%
  • Management and commerce17.5%
  • Education8.8%
  • Food, hospitality and personal services7%
  • Architecture and building5.3%
How these groups are defined
MeasureDefinition
University qualifiedBachelor degree or higher
Diploma qualifiedAdvanced Diploma / Diploma
Trade / vocationalCertificate III + IV
Year 12Year 12 as highest attainment
Below Year 12Year 11 / 10 / 9 or below

People aged 15 years and over, 2021 Census. University, diploma and trade shares match ABS highest educational attainment (HEAP). Year 12 and below Year 12 are combined in the chart because the General Community Profile reports school-only attainment as a residual.

Contributes to desirability score · Community (12%)

University qualifications from the 2021 Census

Data sources & freshness

  • 2021 Census — General Community Profile (including method of travel to work and educational attainment) — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated

    The 2026 Census was conducted in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.

Tax & income

Median taxable income (2023–24)
$46,380

16th percentile in NSW · -21% vs Australia

Median salary / wages (2023–24)
$51,746

11th percentile in NSW · -20% vs Australia

Residents with rental investments
10.0%

14th percentile in NSW · -27% vs Australia

Median super balance (2023–24)
$53,987

26th percentile in NSW · -15% vs Australia

Residents with business income
10.0%

45th percentile in NSW · -4% vs Australia

Australian Taxation Office Taxation Statistics 2023–24, individuals Table 25. Figures describe taxpayers who live in postcode 2648 — not a suburb-level official statistic. Rental investment is the share of local taxpayers reporting rental income or loss, not the share of local properties owned by investors.

Counts, net rent & state comparison
Taxpayers in this postcode
1,363
Taxpayers reporting net rent
132
Median net rent
$1,234
Taxpayers reporting business income
135
Taxable income vs state median
-17%
Salary / wages vs state median
-17%
Rental investment vs state median
-29%
Super vs state median
-23%
Business income vs state median
0%

Percentiles rank this postcode among unique postcodes in NSW, so suburbs that share a postcode are not counted twice. Dollar figures are compared with Australia-wide ATO medians from the same release. Median net rent is among taxpayers who reported the rent label and can be negative.

Data sources & freshness

  • Taxation Statistics 2023–24 — individuals by postcode (Table 25) — Australian Taxation Office · Updated · Annual release; taxpayer residential postcode, not suburb boundary

Seasonal & agricultural work

41.0% of employed residents work in agriculture, forestry and fishing, 17.8× the Australian share (2.3%) — compared with 2.0% across New South Wales.

Agriculture, forestry & fishing
41.0%

87th percentile in NSW · +1683% vs Australia

Resident workers (2021)
41
WHM specified work
Subclass 417 / 462

Postcode 2648

Occupation mix in this industry

2021 Census G56, residents employed in agriculture, forestry and fishing. Counts below 10 are not shown.

  • Managers44

Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2021 Census General Community Profile tables G54 (industry of employment) and G56 (industry by occupation), Statistical Area Level (suburb), place of usual residence. Figures are residents’ main job in the week before Census night — not jobs located in the suburb. Agriculture, forestry and fishing is the 1-digit ANZSIC division; grape growing and other 3- and 4-digit industries are not in this datapack. The 2026 Census was conducted in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.

Plant and animal cultivation in postcode 2648 (Regional Australia) may count as specified work for Working Holiday Maker visas (subclasses 417 and 462). This is a postcode rule from the Home Affairs instruments — not evidence that seasonal jobs exist here, and not a count of WHM residents. Home Affairs specified work · LIN 22/012 · LIN 22/013. Compilation used: 5 April 2025.

Region employment estimates (SA4, not this suburb)

Jobs and Skills Australia NERO modelled estimates for Murray (SA4 109), 2026-08. These figures describe the broader region, not this suburb, and occupations are not added together.

  • Livestock Farmers ANZSCO 12131,575
  • Mixed Crop and Livestock Farmers ANZSCO 1214756
  • Livestock Farm Workers ANZSCO 8415518
  • Crop Farmers ANZSCO 1212389
  • Crop Farm Workers ANZSCO 8412219
  • Agricultural, Forestry and Horticultural Plant Operators ANZSCO 7211158
  • Other Farm, Forestry and Garden Workers ANZSCO 841994
  • Mixed Crop and Livestock Farm Workers ANZSCO 841650
  • Aquaculture Workers ANZSCO 841110
  • Forestry and Logging Workers ANZSCO 841310

Murray is a Statistical Area Level 4. Fruit, nut and vegetable workers are not published separately in NERO (they sit under ANZSCO 8412). Jobs and Skills Australia warns not to sum occupations or geographies. NERO data. Nowcast of Employment by Region and Occupation, Jobs and Skills Australia, Commonwealth of Australia. CC BY 4.0.

Census employed residents counted in G54: 100 · AFF share +1950% vs the state.

Data sources & freshness

  • 2021 Census — industry of employment (G54/G56), place of usual residence — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated · Resident main job in the week before Census night, not jobs located in the suburb

    The 2026 Census was conducted in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.

  • WHM specified work areas (LIN 22/012 and LIN 22/013) — Department of Home Affairs · 2025-04-05 · Updated · Postcode eligibility for plant and animal cultivation; not a count of WHM residents
  • Nowcast of Employment by Region and Occupation (NERO), SA4 × ANZSCO 4-digit — Jobs and Skills Australia · 2026-08 · Updated · Monthly modelled SA4 estimates; not suburb-level. CC BY 4.0

Community & culture

1.9% speak a language other than English at home; 7.3% born overseas

Language at home
159 English only · 3 other
Non-English at home
1.9%
Born overseas
12 (7.3%)
Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander
4 (1.8%)
Australian citizens
155
Languages spoken at home (other than English)
1

Top languages other than English

Share of residents who speak a language other than English at home (2021 Census).

  • Tagalog4 · 100%

Religion

38.9%No religion

No religion is the most common response at 38.9%, while Christianity accounts for 32.7%.

MeasureSuburbState
No religion38.9%32.8%
Christianity32.7%47.6%
Other / not stated28.3%19.6%
Christian denominations
DenominationSuburbState
Catholic14.6%22.4%
Anglican11.5%11.9%
Uniting Church5.3%2.1%

2021 Census — languages spoken at home, birthplace, Indigenous status, and religious affiliation (usual residence). Religion is optional on the Census form.

Data sources & freshness

  • 2021 Census — General Community Profile (including method of travel to work and educational attainment) — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated

    The 2026 Census was conducted in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.

Crime & safety

Offence counts are estimated for this suburb from postcode 2648, which is shared with other suburbs.

Reported offences increased compared with the previous period.

Offence counts & rates
Total offences (Jan 2025 to Dec 2025)
18
Against the person
6
Against property
6
Rate per 1,000 residents
112.5
Person-crime prevalence
About 1 in 38 residents
State crime-rate percentile
80.9th (higher = more crime)
Increase (daily rate)
+28.9%
Recorded road crashes (in suburb)
1
Crash rate per 1,000 residents (state rank)
6.25

Most common offence types

  • Breach Apprehended Violence Order2
  • Domestic Violence Related Assault2
  • Intimidation, Stalking And Harassment3
  • Malicious Damage To Property2
  • Non-Domestic Violence Related Assault1

Contributes to desirability score · Safety (22%)

Crime rate, offences against the person, year-on-year trend and recorded road crash rates

Data sources & freshness

Family & Lifestyle

Schools & preschools

Schools within 2 km
1
Median school ICSEA
937
Median ICSEA percentile
20th
Primary catchments overlapping suburb
4
Secondary catchments overlapping suburb
1
School list
  • Pooncarie Public SchoolPrimary · Government · ICSEA 937 · 20th percentile · LBOTE 0% · 8 students · Top SEA quarter 0%View on My School →
School catchments
  • Buronga PSGovernment school catchment overlapping this suburb boundaryprimary_catchment
  • Coomealla HSGovernment school catchment overlapping this suburb boundarysecondary_catchment
  • Palinyewah PSGovernment school catchment overlapping this suburb boundaryprimary_catchment
  • Pomona PSGovernment school catchment overlapping this suburb boundaryprimary_catchment
  • Pooncarie PSGovernment school catchment overlapping this suburb boundaryprimary_catchment

Government school intake zones that overlap this suburb boundary. Living in a catchment does not guarantee enrolment; check the education authority.

Contributes to desirability score · Education (14%)

Median school ICSEA first, then school and catchment counts

Data sources & freshness

Public transport

5 public transport stops in this suburb

  • Pooncarie Coach Stop
  • Pooncarie Rd At Wentworth Pooncarie Rd
  • Pooncarie Rd At Wentworth Pooncarie Rd
  • Tarcoola St At Burke St
  • Tarcoola St Opp Burke St

Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (12%)

Public transport stops per 1,000 residents and walkability

Data sources & freshness

  • Timetables Complete GTFS stops (© Transport for NSW, CC BY 4.0) — Transport for NSW — Open Data Hub · current · Updated · Nightly GTFS feed

Amenities

1 mapped amenities

1 campgrounds

Local character & venue list

Local character

  • Limited walkable amenities nearby
  • Great for outdoor family life — 5 parks mapped in suburb
Walkability proxy
8/100
Cafés per 1,000 residents
0
Food & drink per 1,000 residents
0
Parks per 1,000 residents
22.12
Camping & holiday parks(1)
  • Padda ParkCampground

Names and addresses from OpenStreetMap. Unnamed venues show as their type (e.g. Cafe). Transport stops are summarised by type rather than listed individually. Campgrounds, beaches, wineries and local trails are included when they sit inside the suburb boundary.

Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (12%)

Food, shopping, recreation and sport per 1,000 residents (OpenStreetMap)

Data sources & freshness

  • Local amenity insights — Suburb Guide (derived) · current · Updated
  • OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · current · Updated

Parks & reserves

5 parks and public open space in this suburb

  • Bilbarka ParkPark
  • Farrell ParkPark
  • Old Wharf ParkPark
  • Pooncaira ParkPark
  • Pooncarie Pioneers Memorial ParkPark

Data sources & freshness

Green cover

Green cover of suburb area
0%
Woodland / forest cover
0%
Parks & woodland features (OSM)
5
Parks (OSM)
5
Typical summer maximum
32°C

Green cover is the share of this suburb's boundary overlapping OpenStreetMap parks, woodland and forest polygons — not a satellite tree-canopy product. Summer maximum is the WorldClim / Open-Meteo seasonal normal already collected for Weather.

Contributes to desirability score · Environment (12%)

Tree canopy first, then green-cover area and parks per 1,000

Data sources & freshness

  • OpenStreetMap green cover and tree canopy — OpenStreetMap contributors · current · Updated · Park/woodland polygons intersected with suburb boundaries

Health access

Nearest hospital
Mildura Health Private Hospital (88.5 km)
Nearest hospital type
Hospital
Nearest hospital emergency
Emergency department
GP clinics in suburb
0

GP clinic counts from OpenStreetMap. Bulk-billing figures only include clinics tagged in OSM (sparse and unofficial — not a Medicare list).

Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (12%)

Hospitals, GPs and aged care

Data sources & freshness

NDIS participation

NDIS participants (31 March 2026)
4
Participants per 1,000 residents
25.0

Active NDIS participants allocated from NDIA Statistical Area Level 2 (SA2, ASGS 2016) counts to this suburb boundary. Not an official suburb-level NDIS figure · as at 31 March 2026.

For NDIS spend and service-demand exploration by SA2 or postcode, see the Care Sector Demand Map.

Data sources & freshness

Weather

Typical conditions by season for suburbs in the same ~44 km climate area. Rainfall totals are summed from monthly WorldClim layers; rainy-day counts are approximate.

Summer (Dec–Feb)

Usual max / min
32° / 16°
Rainfall
66 mm · ~8 rainy days

Autumn (Mar–May)

Usual max / min
24° / 11°
Rainfall
63 mm · ~8 rainy days

Winter (Jun–Aug)

Usual max / min
17° / 5°
Rainfall
76 mm · ~10 rainy days

Spring (Sep–Nov)

Usual max / min
25° / 10°
Rainfall
82 mm · ~10 rainy days

Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (12%)

Temperature and humidity comfort

Data sources & freshness

  • Seasonal climate normals — WorldClim 2.1 · Updated

Future & Planning

Planning & development

Development applications from NSW Planning Portal.

2026· 1 proposal
  • August 2026

  • Erection of a new structure; Cabanas, cubby houses, ferneries, garden sheds, gazebos and greenhouses; Carport
    22 MALLARA STREET POONCARIE 2648Determined
2025· 2 proposals
  • September 2025

  • Shed; Erection of a new structure
    5-7 TARCOOLA STREET POONCARIE 2648Determined
  • March 2025

  • Subdivision
    NOB ROAD POONCARIE 2648Determined
2024· 4 proposals
  • November 2024

  • Temporary building, structure or use; Recreation facility (outdoor)
    11668 Pooncarie Road Lot 73 DP 820498 Reserve R6Determined
  • September 2024

  • Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Manufactured home; Moveable dwelling
    8864 HIGH DARLING ROAD POONCARIE 2648Determined
  • April 2024

  • Subdivision
    7297 POONCARIE ROAD POONCARIE 2648Determined
  • February 2024

  • Temporary building, structure or use; Entertainment associated with existing premises
    POONCARIE ROAD POONCARIE 2648Determined
2023· 2 proposals
  • August 2023

  • Subdivision of land
    7297 POONCARIE ROAD POONCARIE 2648Determined
  • January 2023

  • Recreational Uses
    POONCARIE ROAD POONCARIE 2648Determined
2022· 2 proposals
  • May 2022

  • Other
    5925 Pooncarie Road, Pooncarie, 2468Determined
  • February 2022

  • Recreational Uses
    POONCARIE ROAD POONCARIE 2648Determined
2021· 1 proposal
  • November 2021

  • Dwelling; Semi-attached dwelling; Balconies, decks, patios, terraces or verandahs; Alterations and additions to commercial development
    37-39 TARCOOLA STREET POONCARIE 2648Determined

Data sources & freshness

Heritage

1 heritage place

  • Rodney - paddle steamerPolia StationSHR

Contributes to desirability score · Environment (12%)

Heritage listings as established streetscape

Data sources & freshness

  • State heritage register — State heritage authority · current · Updated

Hazards

Bushfire planning zone
Overlay applies
Flood / inundation overlay
No mapped inundation on suburb boundary

Bushfire overlay checked at suburb centroid via NSW bush fire prone land mapping. Flood cover uses NSW flood planning polygons against the suburb boundary.

Contributes to desirability score · Safety (22%)

Bushfire and flood hazard overlays

Data sources & freshness

  • Bushfire and flood planning overlays — State government hazard layers · current · Updated

Politics & representation

Federal electorate
Farrer
Member of Parliament
David FARLEY (One Nation)
Results from
2026 Farrer by-election

Two-candidate preferred (2026-by-election)

David FARLEY (One Nation) 57.6%Michelle MILTHORPE (Independent) 42.4%

Estimated suburb voting profile

Estimated from 8 nearby ordinary polling places (up to 196.4 km away).

David FARLEY (One Nation) 64.8%Michelle MILTHORPE (Independent) 35.2%

7.2 percentage points higher for David FARLEY than the electorate

Nearest polling places

  • PooncarieDavid FARLEY (One Nation) 64.7% · Michelle MILTHORPE (Independent) 35.3% TCP (2026-by-election)11.8 km away
  • DaretonDavid FARLEY (One Nation) 69.3% · Michelle MILTHORPE (Independent) 30.6% TCP (2026-by-election)83.6 km away
  • BurongaDavid FARLEY (One Nation) 63.1% · Michelle MILTHORPE (Independent) 36.9% TCP (2026-by-election)86.9 km away
  • WentworthDavid FARLEY (One Nation) 69.0% · Michelle MILTHORPE (Independent) 31.0% TCP (2026-by-election)90.4 km away
  • Special Hospital Team 7Michelle MILTHORPE (Independent) 58.1% · David FARLEY (One Nation) 41.9% TCP (2026-by-election)91.1 km away

Federal electorate from AEC federal division boundaries (2025 redistribution). Division-level results are official AEC figures from the latest general election, with by-election updates where applicable. The estimated suburb profile blends up to eight nearest ordinary polling booths in the same electorate using inverse-distance weighting from the suburb centroid — an approximation, not official AEC data. Nearest polling places are shown for reference.

Data sources & freshness

  • Federal election results — Australian Electoral Commission · 2026-by-election · Updated · 2025 election with by-election overlays

Socio-economic

IRSAD decile (2021)
5/10
IRSD decile (2021)
5/10

ABS Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas (SEIFA), 2021 release — the latest available, derived from the 2021 Census. Deciles rank suburbs nationally from 1 (lowest) to 10 (highest).

What do IRSAD and IRSD measure?

IRSAD — Index of Relative Socio-economic Advantage and Disadvantage. Combines indicators of advantage (e.g. high income, skilled occupations) and disadvantage. Higher decile = more advantaged relative to other Australian areas.

IRSD — Index of Relative Socio-economic Disadvantage. Focuses on disadvantage only (e.g. low income, unemployment, limited education). Higher decile = less disadvantage nationally.

A new SEIFA edition typically follows each census; the ABS has not announced a release date beyond 2021.

Contributes to desirability score · Community (12%)

Socio-economic advantage (IRSAD and IRSD deciles)

Data sources & freshness

More in Wentworth Council

Other suburbs in the same local government area.

Comparable suburbs

Similar population and socio-economic profile in other parts of New South Wales.