Pental Island is also a parish of the County of Tatchera and the boundaries of the three entities are identical.

At the 2016 census, Pental Island had a population of 135, down from 380 ten years earlier.

[2] Two bridges allow access to the island from within Victoria, on Pental Island Road at Swan Hill in the west, and on Fish Point Road at Fish Point in the east.

When the Murray was opened for navigation the question arose as to whether all navigable channels were part of New South Wales, as claimed by that state, or whether the Little Murray River was a continuation of the Loddon River enclosing Pental Island as claimed by Victoria.

The dispute was raised in 1871 and was resolved in favour of Victoria by the Judicial Committee, with no detailed reasons given.