The upper sides of its wings are copper-colored and have a purple, blue, and green iridescence when in the sunlight.

The habitat of the purple copper butterfly is found primarily in altitudes above 900 m (3000 ft), and are generally seen with exposure to the full day sun (often with a west to north appearance), and with extremes of cold such as regular winter snowfalls or heavy frosts where it feeds on a form of blackthorn.

The butterflies emerge between August (later at higher altitude sites) and November, with a two-week peak of activity in September.

After mating, the female oviposits eggs on or near the area of Bursaria spinosa subsp.

Current threats to the Bathurst copper butterfly include clearing and development, weed invasion, grazing, and changes in controlled burn procedures.