In the mid-19th century, the town's Darling River wharf was very active as paddle-steamers carried wool from north-western NSW and south-western Queensland, travelling through the port on the way to South Australia.

[5] Popiltah station, 80 km north-west of Pooncarie, was the relocation site of Nanya and his family, one of the last peoples to live by traditional indigenous means in New South Wales.

Pooncarie is approximately 40 kilometres (25 mi) east of, and the closest centre to, the burgeoning BEMAX Resources Ginkgo Mineral Sands mine on Malara Station.

[6] Today the village has a postal centre and Centrelink office (which is housed in the former Pooncarie police station), a school, a cafe (situated overlooking the Darling river at the historic Old Wharf site), a hotel, a golf course, a tennis court, a general store, a cemetery, and a racecourse, where the Pooncarie Cup - held on Labour Day (NSW and SA) - attracts a crowd of over 1,500 enthusiasts.

[7] Pooncarie is the closest centre to Mungo National Park which is 88 kilometres (55 mi) away, and fuel is available at the store which reopened in July 2013.