Losing captain Brendon McCullum in the final over of the day has dealt a near fatal blow to New Zealand's hopes of saving the first cricket Test against Australia.
McCullum's wicket, lbw for 10 to Mitchell Marsh, couldn't be saved by a third umpire's review and means there will be no repeat of his 302 heroics two years ago when held off India at the Basin Reserve.
It hasn't been a happy 100th Test for McCullum, out for a duck in the first innings and his side now facing defeat.
Chasing a first innings deficit of 379, the hosts were 178-4 at stumps on day three, still 201 shy of making Australia bat again.
Henry Nicholls (31), in his first Test, is the not out batsman and he will be joined by Corey Anderson on Monday morning.
New Zealand batting coach Craig McMillan says it has been a tough three days' cricket for his side, not helped by being asked to bat first on a green pitch.
"I think it's a blow when you lose any wicket in the last over of a day, to have that extra wicket, especially when it's Brendon McCullum, up your sleeve, but it is what is.
"We've got six wickets left, have to fight, make it as difficult as we can over two days."
With the backdrop of a small scrub fire in the town belt above the suburb of Mt Victoria, which could be seen clearly from the ground, Australia's bowlers applied the heat on the home batsmen with good line and length on a flattened out Basin Reserve pitch.
Nathan Lyon, with figures of 2-35, claimed the openers with his offspin.
In the post-lunch session, Martin Guptill was the first man out, holing out to mid off for 45.
After tea, Kane Williamson went for 22, edging Josh Hazlewood (1-42) behind and Tom Latham (63) holed out, also off Lyon and also to mid off.
Australia have been in control of the match since day one, when skipper Steve Smith won the toss and put New Zealand in to bat on a green pitch.
They could only manage 183 and by the end of the first day Australia were 147-3.
They batted until just before lunch on day three, eventually being dismissed for 562 after losing four wickets in the morning session.
Their innings was built around Khawaja's 140 and Adam Voges' 239 - the biggest talking point being the life he got at the end of day one when on seven and he was bowled by Doug Bracewell, only for the delivery to be wrongly called a no ball.
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