Base colour overlain with closely spaced dark blotches, some joining together to form unevenly shaped vertical stripes generally extending well below the lateral line.

[2] The ornate Galaxias is mainly confined to coastal systems south of the Great Dividing Range at elevations of 35–800 metres (115–2,625 ft) and probably up to 1,000 metres (3,300 ft) in Victoria between Wilsons Promontory and Cape Otway with a small population north of the Great Dividing Range in a minor creek in the upper reaches of the Yea River, a tributary to the Goulburn River system.

[2] Galaxias ornatus is usually found in clear, cool and well shaded upland creeks along mountain ranges and in larger streams at lower elevations.

To the north and west of Melbourne in drier systems such as the Maribyrnong, Plenty and Werribee rivers the fish persist in ephemeral tributaries as well as in large and small isolated, sometime stagnant, pools.

To the north east of Melbourne at higher elevations such as in the upper Yarra catchment the species withstands periods of varying times during winter with the streams covered in snow.