The Wallabies have opened their Rugby Championship campaign with a rousing 41-26 victory over Argentina but look to have lost playmaker Quade Cooper for the series.
Centre Len Ikitau crossed for their fifth try five minutes after full-time in Mendoza to snare a bonus point as the Wallabies piled on 31 points in the second half.
The Australians entered the Test without talismanic captain Michael Hooper, who withdrew from the tour the day before the game for mental health reasons.
Stand-in skipper James Slipper said they wanted to make Hooper, who had already flown home to Australia, proud.
"It's a real proud moment for me and also the team because we really wanted to put in an effort that our fans could be proud of and also our captain Hoops (Hoops)," Slipper said in a post-match interview.
"We were thinking about him all day and playing for him."
The Wallabies then lost another of their most experienced players when playmaker Cooper slipped on the turf while in attack seven minutes into the second half.
The 34-year-old had already missed the losing England series with a calf injury but appeared to grasp at his ankle in obvious pain, and was later be seen in a moon-boot.
But the Wallabies regrouped with Hooper's replacement Fraser McReight dragged across the line by barn-storming Test debutant Jed Holloway.
A penalty try in the 62nd minute awarded by whistle-happy Scottish referee Mike Adamson put the visitors to within two points.
Cooper's replacement Reece Hodge then banged over a long-range penalty for the Wallabies to take the lead, 27-26, for the first time in the match.
Hooker Folau Fainga'a, in his best performance in the gold jersey, picked up the ball off the back of a maul and charged over, with Hodge adding the extras.
The opening half was a frustrating stop-start affair with a 10-3 penalty count against the Wallabies, who trailed 19-10 at the break.
The Australians dominated possession and territory but errors and poor discipline again stopped them from maximising their opportunities.
Argentina, who are coached by former Wallabies mentor Michael Cheika, got off to their best possible start with Pablo Matera crossing in the sixth minute.
The Wallabies countered through winger Jordan Petaia but kept the home side in the game through sharp-shooter Emiliano Boffelli, who booting four penalties for the game.
The Australians got on the right side of Adamson in the second half, while the Pumas own discipline fell apart as they incurred 11 second-half penalties which cruelled their cause.
Wallabies coach Dave Rennie praised his team's resilience and poise after the late withdrawal of Hooper and then losing Cooper.
"We created first-half opportunities that we didn't take but I thought we were far more clinical and applied a lot more pressure (in the second half)," Rennie told Stan Sport.
"I was really happy with the way we finished.
"We've got more in us but I was really happy with the character.
"We had a couple of late changes and losing a key guy in the game.
"The thing about this group, a lot of character and courage. and they stood up."
The Wallabies face Argentina again next weekend in San Juan.
