It has underground stems, deeply divided leaves with 18 to 28 lobes on each sides, about eighty pale orange-pink flowers in each inflorescence, and egg-shaped follicles.

Banksia aurantia is a prostrate shrub that has underground stems and reaches a height of 10–35 mm (0.39–1.38 in).

The inflorescence develops on the end of the stem, with about eighty flowers with hairy, rusty red, egg-shaped to lance-shaped bracts at the base, the perianth pale orange-pink and 34–37 mm (1.3–1.5 in) long.

[6] All known populations of B. aurantia lie within Wandoo National Park,[1] at Little Darkin Swamp southeast of York.

The species grows on flat, seasonally wet, low-lying areas of grey or white sand.