It was a red-letter occasion for Williams three months short of his 35th birthday as he led the team out to an inevitable standing ovation and wore a specially-commissioned shirt with the word "Diolch" - Welsh for thank you - emblazoned across his chest.
Wing wizard Shane Williams bid an emotional, try-scoring farewell to international rugby - but he could not prevent Wales from losing to Australia.
The tearful Ospreys star's last Wales appearance - his 87th - produced a trademark try with his final act in the red shirt to send a 62,000 Millennium Stadium crowd wild, but Australia had already done enough for victory.
Second-half tries by scrum-half Will Genia and wing Lachie Turner - scored in quick succession after Wales full-back Leigh Halfpenny had been sin-binned for tackling James O'Connor without the ball - were followed by a Berrick Barnes touchdown.
The damage was inflicted during a ruthless 12-minute spell when Australia erased all hope of Wales avenging their World Cup bronze medal match defeat in Auckland just 43 days ago.
O'Connor kicked three conversions and a penalty, while Wales could only muster tries from Williams and Rhys Priestland, two Priestland penalties and a Dan Biggar conversion.
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