Players were sent from the field by the umpires and an early tea called with England at 142 for four on the fourth day.
Alastair Cook was playing a captain's knock and was unbeaten on 65 with Joe Root on six.
England face the massive task of having to bat for two days to prevent the Australians from going one-up in the five-Test series and they lost the wickets of Kevin Pietersen and Ian Bell on Sunday.
Pietersen and Cook had safely negotiated the opening hour, but two balls after first drinks Mitchell Johnson struck when Pietersen injudiciously hooked a bouncer straight to backward square leg.
Substitute fielder Chris Sabburg, on for paceman Ryan Harris, claimed the catch to a huge roar from the home crowd.
It was an inopportune choice of shot by Pietersen with the England players needing to stay at the crease to have any hope of saving the game.
Pietersen scored 26 off 52 balls to go with his 18 in the first innings.
It got worse for England when Bell was beaten by Peter Siddle's extra bounce in the 54th over and he edged to Brad Haddin for 32.
England will be banking on Cook to reprise his 10-1/2 hour stonewalling of Australia from the corresponding Test of the 2010-11 Ashes series in Brisbane.
Three years ago captain Cook frustrated Australian efforts with his unconquered 235 as England killed off the match with their 517 for one in the second innings after trailing the home side by 221 runs on the first innings.
England drew that match and went on to win the series 3-1.
Australia have not lost a Test at the Gabba since 1988 and England will have to create Ashes history to win, with their previous highest winning fourth innings score at 332 for seven in Melbourne in 1928.
The world record for the highest successful run chase is the West Indies' 418 for seven against Australia in Antigua in 2003, while the highest winning chase at the Gabba is Australia's 236 for seven against the West Indies in 1951.
England had a wretched start to their marathon salvage operation when Michael Carberry was bowled by Harris through his legs for a duck in the fifth over, and Jonathan Trott pulled Johnson straight to Nathan Lyon at deep square leg for nine.
England went to stumps on Saturday at 24 for two.
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