Shell solid, of moderate size, measuring between 80 and 100 mm in length, elongate-fusiform with extended blunt spire. Protoconch smooth (average diameter of 4.9 mm), papilliform of 2.5 whorls, with slighty channeled suture. Transition protoconch / teleoconch gradual marked by occurrence of faint axial costae. Teleoconch of 5 shiny, narrow, convex whorls, becoming slighty flattened on subsutural zone. Suture deep, slighty indented. Sculpture consisting of straight keel-like axial ribs, 20-21 on antepenultimalte whorl, 27-29 on penultimate whorl, extending onto whole of the spire whorls, becoming more rounded on the first half of body whorl, then attenuated or absent on last half. No spiral markings. Aperture high, narrow, forming average of 0.65 of total length. Outer lip bevelled and simple. Columella straight, with 5 irregular thick oblique plaits, the anterior one the weakest. Siphonal notch wide and shallow. Fasciole prominent. Background colour cream with a pattern of close, fine, zigzag, axial lines forming chestnut tent-like markings that coalesce by thickening to form two large dark brown spiral bands on middle body whorl and on anterior part. On some shells, a faint row of subsutural blotches is visible.

This new species can be compared with the other large species of the genus Notovoluta inhabiting the west Australian waters:
- Notovolota baconi Wilson, 1972 is a smaller elongate cylindrical shell bearing conspicuous axial plicae on the entire teleoconch and a dominant spiral pattern consisting of brown blotches.
- Notovoluta norwestralis Bail & Limpus, 2003 has a larger protoconch, a shorter spire, an apressed suture with a marked spiral sculpture on the subsutural zone, a finer and closer tent-like pattern.
- Notovoluta pseudolirata Tate, 1888 is an elongate fusiform shell but sculptured by strong axial ribs on the two first postnuclear whorls, becoming elongate angular nodules on the body whorl. Its spiral pattern of rows of brown dots and two wide reticulate bands is similar to that of the elongate western form of Notovoluta kreuslerae (Angas, 1865) which differs by its smooth first whorls.
- In the northeast Australian waters, Notovoluta gardneri Darragh, 1983 is different with its large rounded protoconch, a shorter spire, a coarser tent pattern with two narrow spiral rows of black dashes on the last whorl.

Type location: 100 km west of Shark Bay, Western Australia.
Until now this species has been found only on the central continental shelf of Western Australia, from the type locality and north to off North West Cape. All the known specimens have been trawled at a depth from 300 m to 450 m. The substrata appear hard with coral debris (WAM S29201).
The actual range is still unknown, but when we look at other members of the genus and see their wide range, it can be assumed that this species would also have a much wider range than presently known. N gardneri from off the east Queensland coast, ranges from Lady Elliot Island north to Pith Reef, N kreuslerae ranges over three quarters of the southern coast of Australia and even TV. norwestralis has a large east to west range from north of Broome - Lacepede Channel to the North West Shelf.