Lightning strikes around Kardinia Park forced a dramatic stoppage to the international friendly, just short of the half-time break.
That was the only respite China enjoyed in Geelong, where Australia ran up a tally to complete a stunning 2017, with Kerr becoming the first Matildas player to score in six consecutive internationals.
Alen Stajcic's side earned their seventh successive win in swashbuckling fashion. It's a run that will put the Matildas into the top five of the FIFA rankings at their next edition.
After Ren Guixin's neat opener on seven minutes, Australia took control.
Kyah Simon scored a superb long-range chip to equalise before Li Danyang put the ball in her own net from Caitlin Foord's cutback.
Kerr then brought her influence to the contest.
She broke free and burst into the box and unleashed a strike too hot for substitute goalkeeper Lu Feifei, who spilled the ball into the goal.
After the half-hour lightning break, which came after 39 minutes of game time, and the regulation quarter-hour half-time stoppage, Kerr scored again.
Emily Van Egmond's superb long-range ball put Lu in no-man's land and allowed the Western Australian to head home.
Kerr was denied a hat-trick by a super piece of Chinese defending but her place in the history books was confirmed.
The two strikes took her run to a record-breaking 11 goals in six games.
With the game out of China's sight, Kerr then centred the ball to allow Chloe Logarzo to score her first Matildas goal - a simple tap-in at the back post.
Despite conceding five goals, China did improve on their effort in Wednesday's first friendly - a 3-0 loss at AAMI Park.
Sigurdur Eyjolfsson's team tested Lydia Williams several times, forcing Australia's first-choice glovewoman into a number of impressive saves.
