The tail is bushy although the underside is partly bare. The tip can be either black or white. Brushtail possums have large eyes and erect, prominent ears. Their faces are more pointed than ringtails. They are also bigger, with females attaining around 1.3 kilograms and males 1.6 kilograms.
Males often have a reddish stain on their chest, indicating an active scent gland.
Brushtails live in a wide range of habitats. Throughout their present range they are common and frequently found in towns and cities. However, their former range has been considerably reduced by clearing and they have also disappeared from large areas of more arid country. They favour open forest and woodland with sufficient older trees to provide hollows. Moving at night, brushtails will spend some time on the ground moving from tree to tree in search of the fresh growth on young trees.