Girella elevata has a moderately deep, compressed oval shaped body with a narrow caudal peduncle and a small head which has a slightly bulging forehead.

[6] Girella elevata show a preference as adults for areas of rocky reef in exposed situations where they can be found from the surf zone down to around 25 metres (82 ft).

[4] Girella elevata is a highly sought after target of recreational fishermen due to its reputation as a brutally tough fighter when hooked, said by some to have given rise to the angler's colloquial name of pig,[9] although it has also been suggested that this stems from the sounds it makes when landed[7] and its fine eating qualities.

[10] Because its preferred habitat is in the white-wash around rocky outcrops immediately along the coastal shoreline, most anglers targeting rock blackfish are land-based.

Rock blackfish can also be caught from water craft, but this is considered a high-risk activity due to the dangers of fishing very close to shore.

[11] Because drummer inhabit the white-water in the washes and rocky outcrops on the coastal fringe, they are a relatively powerful fish for their size with a large tail fin that allows them to maneuver in that turbulent zone.

Because rock blackfish are omnivorous, they will take a range of baits including cunjevoi, peeled prawn, bread and sea cabbage.

Girella elevata was first formally described by William John Macleay in 1881 with the type locality being given as Port Jackson, New South Wales.