Marcus North has capped his return to form with an unbeaten 112 in a record partnership with Michael Clarke in Australia's first innings of 5-459 declared in the first Test against New Zealand.
Clarke scored a career-best 168 on day two at Wellington's Basin Reserve.
New Zealand were 2-20 at tea in reply and struggling badly.
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The Black Caps lost a wicket in their opening over when Doug Bollinger's inswinger trapped Bradley-John Watling lbw for a first-ball duck.
And matters got worse for the hosts when first-change bowler Mitchell Johnson sidefooted the ball soccer-style onto the stumps to run out Peter Ingram (5).
Ross Taylor is four not out with Tim McIntosh is on seven.
Clarke's six-hour display ended when he charged the bowling of left-arm spinner Daniel Vettori and was stumped down leg-side with Australia's score on 5-429.
The vice-captain's highest score in his 59th Test came in dramatic circumstances in an emotionally challenging week following his broken engagement to model Lara Bingle.
Clarke hit 22 fours and two sixes from two sixes from 253 deliveries.
North and Clarke shared a 253-run partnership, beating the previous fifth-wicket record for Australia against New Zealand of 213 set by Greg Ritchie and Greg Matthews in Wellington in 1985-86.
North's fourth century in his 14th Test came with a hook to the fine-leg boundary and the West Australian punched the air with delight.
The left-hander's classy five-hour knock came after he had scored just 207 runs at 23.00 in six Tests against West Indies and Pakistan this summer.
With his Test spot on the line, North hit 11 fours and two sixes from 208 deliveries.
Clarke paid tribute to his ex-fiancee on Friday after scoring an unbeaten 100.
His credentials as a future Test skipper were held up to severe public scrutiny after he spent last week in Sydney away from the team missing three one-day internationals.
The 28-year-old announced his broken engagement last Friday and returned to Wellington on Monday, as a media circus and a nude-photo scandal surrounded the high-profile couple's split.
