They are now left, barring a spectacular comeback today, facing the prospect of having to scrap to save the opening match in the three-test rubber.
Australia will start the second day at 389 for two, with Usman Khawaja having completed his maiden century, 102, and Steven Smith, 41, making it all look too easy.
New Zealand, having lost the toss, were simply not effective or consistent enough on a pitch expected to quicken up in the next two days.
Just the right time, then, for the Mitchells, Johnson and Starc to be zinging the ball at New Zealand's batsmen, at a significantly faster pace than their batsmen faced yesterday.
With the exception of Tim Southee, New Zealand's bowlers leaked like a dodgy tap. That said, David Warner and co were outstanding.
Warner's demeanour and utterances may not be to universal taste, but he played it smart yesterday.
There was the occasional scare, almost yorked by Trent Boult early, then twice beaten comprehensively by the same bowler just after lunch.
But once he had his eye in, and the measure of the bowlers, he was remorseless in compiling his 13th test hundred, and second against New Zealand.
It took a one-handed stunner at first slip above his head by Ross Taylor to cut Warner off with a maiden double test ton in his sights.
New Zealand had seen Joe Burns and Usman Khawaja as potential weak links. Burns 71, Khawaja 102 not out. So that plan worked a treat.
Burns, stocky and with a liking for cutting and pulling, which New Zealand seemed slow to recognise, was circumspect and beaten twice early by Southee.
But he quickly developed a taste for Mark Craig's offspin, as did Khawaja later, and has now made half centuries in his last three innings.
Khawaja looked more organised after a two-year absence from the test team, his footwork an asset. No Chris Rogers, Shane Watson or Michael Clarke? No problem, on yesterday's evidence anyway.
With the possible exception of the injured Corey Anderson, this is New Zealand's best test line-up, so there's no excuses.
Yesterday's events threw a harsh light on New Zealand's bowling depth.
Take out Southee and Boult, who looked underdone, and New Zealand are staring at long hours in the field in this series.
Craig had a chat to former Australian oddball allrounder Greg Matthews in the middle of the Gabba on Wednesday. It didn't do much good yesterday.
If things aren't going your way, the bowling group must be able to at least tighten the screw, make the batsmen work for their runs. Collectively that didn't happen yesterday.
No catches were spilled and while Brendon McCullum rattled through his bowling options, all six having been used by the 26th over, it was largely perspiration rather than inspiration.
At one point in the morning, McCullum had a 8-1 field - eight fielders on the offside, one on the leg - with Southee bowling to Warner, before suddenly switching to a 4-5 setting in the same over.
It had a whiff of over-stretching to try and make something happen. To rub it in, Warner duly planted the next all through the near vacant offside.
Yesterday produced the highest first-day score in a test at Brisbane, eclipsing Australia's 364 for two against England in 2002.
New Zealand needed to have a hard think last night about what lies ahead today.
- David Leggat of the New Zealand Herald in Brisbane
