[4] The Australian golden whistler was originally described in the genus Muscicapa by the English ornithologist John Latham in 1801.

[6][7][8] Some authorities include a wide range of – often strikingly different – taxa from Indonesia, East Timor, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and Fiji as subspecies of P. pectoralis, in which case the combined species simply is known as the golden whistler (a common name sometimes also used exclusively for the Australian species).

[10] Strong published evidence in favour of either treatment is limited, and further study is warranted to resolve the situation.

[10] The male has a bright yellow underside and nape, olive-green back and wings, a black head and chest-band, and a white throat.

Male and female both work on the nest, which is a shallow bowl made of twigs, grass, and bark, and bound together with spider web.

[11] Another island subspecies, the Lord Howe golden whistler (P. p. contempta) remains common,[10] but was listed as vulnerable by the Australian Government due to its small range.