Australia are in striking distance of their first Test series win against South Africa on home soil in 17 years after another dominant day at the MCG.
Stumps were called early on day three of the Boxing Day Test after rain stopped play at 4.20pm.
Australia declared at 8-575 - the sixth-highest innings total at the MCG - giving them a first-innings lead of 386 over the deflated Proteas.
South Africa will resume on Thursday at 1-15 after captain Dean Elgar was out for a duck in the second over to Australia captain Pat Cummins.
Earlier, popular Australian No.7 Alex Carey produced a chanceless knock after starting Wednesday on nine, bringing up his first Test ton from only 133 balls.
The 31-year-old joined the late Rod Marsh, who died in March, as the only other wicketkeeper to score a Test century at the MCG.
Carey was out for 111 just before tea, hitting an easy caught-and-bowled opportunity to giant Proteas paceman Marco Jansen.
Captain Pat Cummins brought the innings to an end when Mitchell Starc was hit on the helmet by a bouncer.
Injured allrounder Cameron Green surprisingly came out to bat, despite already being ruled out of the next Test with a fractured finger and Australia boasting a commanding lead.
The 23-year-old, who was bought for $3.15 millon in last week's IPL auction, finished unbeaten on 51.
Green struggled early in his innings but appeared more comfortable the longer he batted.
He had retired hurt after copping a blow to his finger while batting on Tuesday and will not bowl again during this match.
Starc, who is managing a finger injury of his own, joined Green out in the middle after Carey's dismissal.
Starc suffered a finger injury on day one and is understood to be in major doubt for next week's third Test in Sydney.
Green's absence with the ball is a major blow after his first five-wicket Test haul on Monday to rout South Africa for 189.
The in-form Australia attack will be depleted for the Proteas' second innings, but Starc still opened the bowling despite being in discomfort.
Earlier, Proteas paceman Anrich Nortje was on a hat-trick when he bowled Travis Head (51) and double-century maker David Warner in consecutive balls in overcast conditions
Cummins was able to keep out the hat-trick ball, but fell to Kagiso Rabada (2-118) two balls later.
After retiring hurt with heat stress and cramps on Tuesday, a weary Warner (200) returned to the crease but lasted just one ball before Nortje skittled his stumps.
Warner had survived Nortje's day-two barrage, which the veteran opener called the fastest spell he has faced, in the heat to become the second Australian after Ricky Ponting to score a century in their 100th Test.
