The species is the least known of the Australian turtles and also one of the smallest members of the long-necked turtles of the genus Chelodina.

It is a member of the subgenus Chelodina making it closely related to the Chelodina longicollis group of species.

The specific name, steindachneri, is in honor of Austrian herpetologist Franz Steindachner.

[3] The preferred natural habitats of C. steindachneri are freshwater rivers and freshwater swamps.

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