Perry County is a cadastral county in far-western New South Wales, one of the state’s 141 land-title divisions. It lies east of the Darling River near Pooncarie, in the Wentworth Shire and Central Darling Shire area. The county was named after soldier and surveyor Samuel Augustus Perry (1792-1854), a former New South Wales Surveyor-General.
Key Facts
| State | New South Wales |
|---|---|
| Region | Far West, east of the Darling River near Pooncarie |
| Named after | Samuel Augustus Perry (1792-1854), surveyor and soldier |
| Local government areas today | Wentworth Shire (most parishes); Central Darling Shire (Astolat, Porcupine, Prunella, Tartna, Yenda) |
Parishes in Perry County
- Astolat
- Barrara
- Barritt
- Beela
- Bell
- Bertram
- Bimpia
- Blenalben
- Burke
- Camelot
- Coonong
- Cooyarunda
- Darchy
- Enid
- Euchla
- Garnpung
- Glenstal
- Gray
- Gunpanoola
- Harley
- Howitt
- Kandra
- Karpakora
- King
- Mapenny
- Midgehope
- Mitchell
- Mooloolerie
- Moorara
- Morthong
- Mueller
- Mungo
- Mythe
- Nambucurra
- Nanda
- Nania
- Nelia
- Nuccalo
- Pan Ban
- Peppora
- Perry
- Pines
- Pombra
- Pooncaira
- Porcupine
- Prunella
- Tarcoola
- Tarmoola
- Tartna
- Timpunga
- Tolarno
- Tuckinya
- Wanteboolka
- Welsh
- Wentworth
- Wills
- Wreford
- Yenda
Towns and Localities Today
Perry County is sparsely settled pastoral country. Pooncarie, on the Darling River just outside the county’s western edge, is the nearest service centre; Mungo National Park, home of the Willandra Lakes World Heritage Area, sits within the county’s Mungo parish. Most of the land is grazing leasehold with no gazetted towns inside the county boundary itself.
Geography
The county sits east of the Darling River, in the arid Far West of New South Wales. It borders Menindee, Livingstone, Manara, Windeyer and Wentworth counties. Mungo National Park and part of the Willandra Lakes system lie within its boundaries. Rainfall averages under 250 millimetres a year, and the landscape is dominated by mallee scrub, saltbush plains and the dry lunette dune at Lake Mungo.
History
Perry County is one of New South Wales’ 141 cadastral divisions, the land-title survey grid extended across the colony through the 19th century as pastoral settlement pushed west of the Nineteen Counties. It carries the name of Samuel Augustus Perry, who served as Deputy Surveyor-General and later Surveyor-General of New South Wales. The Mungo parish, within the county, preserves some of the oldest known human remains in Australia, dated to more than 40,000 years ago, and is jointly managed with the Mutthi Mutthi, Ngiyampaa and Paakantyi peoples.
FAQ
Is Perry County still used?
Cadastral divisions like Perry County remain in land titles and property descriptions but have no government function. Local services are run by Wentworth Shire and Central Darling Shire councils.
What is Perry County named after?
It honours Samuel Augustus Perry (1792-1854), a soldier and surveyor who rose to Surveyor-General of New South Wales.
What is the nearest town to Perry County?
Pooncarie, on the Darling River, lies immediately west of the county and is the closest service centre.
What is inside Perry County today?
Mungo National Park, part of the Willandra Lakes World Heritage Area, occupies a large share of the county’s north-eastern parishes.