The Black Australorp chicken originated in Australia. It is a large, soft-feathered bird, with white toenails, black legs and beak, and a moderately large and upright single comb, with five distinct points. The Australorp is a hardy, docile, and a good egg-layer as well as meat bird.

The Australorp is currently has two recognized colors according to the Australian Poultry Standard; black and blue. A third colour, white, is recognised by the Australorp Club of Australia but not the Australian Poultry Standard, as of the current (1st) edition of the Standard. The Black Australorp is the most common, and has glossy black feathers and a lustrous green sheen.