The Ferns had no answer for the home side's intensity as they led throughout and were well in charge at 27-19 at halftime, before a sold out Hisense Arena crowd of 9600.
Australia led by as many as 16 goals early in the second half before the Ferns clawed it back to a six-goal deficit, but their late charge to win the final quarter 14-6 wasn't enough.
It levelled the five-test series 1-1 ahead of Sunday's third test in Brisbane, and continued New Zealand's inconsistent record on Australian soil.
Not since 1981 have they won back-to-back tests in the same series in Australia. It was the fourth straight year they'd won the first test and lost the second across the Tasman.
Shooter Irene van Dyk led the way to hit 34 of 38 attempts for the Ferns.
There were also injury problems for the visitors, who lost goal attack Maria Tutaia with a quadricep strain just before halftime, after wing attack Liana Barrett-Chase was ruled out on match eve.
The hosts welcomed back vice-captain Natalie von Bertouch at centre after she missed the first test with a sternum injury, while Maree Bowden won the New Zealand wing attack spot after Barrett-Chase's tour-ending calf strain.
Von Bertouch, the trans-Tasman league's player of the year, offered some starch on attack and defence to inspire her teammates.
Momentum shifted immediately from the first test, with the hosts flying out to an early 8-3 advantage as the Ferns struggled for flow through their midcourt against a solid defensive wall.
Ferns goal defence Katrina Grant had an unhappy time and was twice called for stepping before she was subbed off at quarter time, for Joline Henry, as Australia led 13-10 at the first break.
The second quarter was a messy one with both sides turning over ball, but the Ferns still struggled to keep pace.
Three minutes before halftime, Tutaia was forced off with ice strapped to her leg and was replaced by Paula Griffin.
The youngster nailed her first shot but then missed her next three as the hosts built an eight-goal halftime lead.
Australia hoisted 36 shots to New Zealand's 25 in the first half, but Sharelle McMahon and Susan Pratley only hit 75 percent to just keep the visitors in it.
Van Dyk managed to slip her giant marker Susan Fuhrmann and hit her first 12 shots before a miss, ending the half with 15 from 17.
There were more midcourt reshuffles at halftime, with Bowden benched, Temepara George and Laura Langman shuffling forward and Larissa Willcox put into wing defence for her first trans-Tasman test.
But it got ugly after the break as Australia continued where they left off. Suddenly it was 36-20 early in the third quarter as the Ferns looked shellshocked.
They pulled it back late in the period but Australia were home for the money at 42-30 going into the final quarter.
Australia 48 (Sharelle McMahon 16/26, Susan Pratley 32/42) New Zealand 44 (Irene van Dyk 34/38, Maria Tutaia 3/4, Paula Griffin 7/12). Halftime: 27-19.
