Injured skipper Casey Kopua was missed as the Silver Ferns were overtaken on the home stretch to lose the final Constellation Cup netball Test to Australian 51-47.
The Diamonds' victory in Auckland gave them a 4-0 series sweep and also extended their winning streak over their trans-Tasman rivals to nine matches.
New Zealand led by four at three-quarter time, but Australia tied the scores with just under four minutes left before edging ahead.
Star defender Kopua suffered a serious knee injury in the third Test in Sydney and faces more than six months on the sidelines.
Coach Waimarama Taumaunu says the Silver Ferns could have done with her on court.
"We were much more competitive tonight but we probably missed Casey a bit in that last quarter," she said.
"She tends to be our go-to girl for end-of-game intercepts and we just did not take enough ball off them or stop their steam in that last quarter."
Australian coach Lisa Alexander said a clean sweep was something the Diamonds had targeted.
She praised her players' belief as they pegged back the Silver Ferns in the closing stages.
"It's something you can't just magically switch on with the group," she said.
"They have to develop it and I think this group has got that deep within them and they just knew how to find a way to win at the end."
The combination of goal shoot Caitlin Bassett and goal attack Natalie Medhurst, who came on in the second half, proved influential for the Diamonds in the run home.
For the Silver Ferns, centre Laura Langman, taking over as skipper in Kopua's absence, was outstanding as she drove her team forward.
But New Zealand's paid for a shooting performance that brought just 73 per cent success.
Goal shoot Bailey Mes had a shaky start, shooting at 50 per cent in the opening half, although she missed only two of 15 shots in the second half and her movement created space in the circle.
Taumaunu made one change after the opening quarter, giving Temalisi Fakahokotau her first cap.
The young defender made her presence felt with some impressive intercepting, although her physicality did attract the umpires' attention.
With Australia making some uncharacteristic mistakes and conceding plenty of penalties, New Zealand, at 22-21, held the halftime lead for the first time in the series.
But the Diamonds - with Bassett shooting 20 from 22, and Medhurst with 10 from 10 - proved too strong at the death.
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