The World Cup winner scored two penalties and a drop goal and looked dynamic throughout but tries from man-of-the-match Will Genia and Adam Ashley Cooper gave the Wallabies the win as they took hold of an open and pacey Twickenham game.
After compact opening exchanges, Wilkinson marked his comeback with a perfect drop-goal in the third minute, reminding Australia that despite his injuries, he retains the deadly boot that cost them the 2003 World Cup.
A further three points arrived from a Wilkinson penalty when an English drive was disrupted by a needless spear tackle by Peter Hynes and while missing a host of senior players, Martin Johnson's new-look line-up looked confident and disciplined.
Wilkinson almost extended the lead on 11 minutes when his halfway line penalty struck the upright and Swing Low Sweet Chariot rang out in West London, the first time in recent memory the old favourite had been heard in the first half at Twickenham.
But the crowd's comfort soon proved short-lived as the impressive Genia darted over from two yards to get Australia back in the game.
England remained deservedly in the lead at 6-5 with 17 minutes remaining after a skewed Matt Giteau conversion attempt and rapid rucking from England's pack almost led to the hosts' first try soon after.
Matt Banahan and Lewis Moody came close on opposite flanks after hanging cross-field kicks before Wilkinson made it 9-5 with a simple penalty following an Australian infringement.
With the visitors repeatedly penalised by referee Bryce Lawrence, the home side could be pleased with a battling first-half showing.
But Australia looked rejuvenated in the opening ten minutes of the second half and some ragged handling from England threatened to derail the good work of the first 40 minutes.
England got out of jail in the 45th minute as Australia failed to capitalise on a two-man overlap by the English line though Giteau cut England's lead to a point after knocking over a penalty from the 22.
Quade Cooper and Digby Ioane combined well in the centres to break the English line on several occasions and the hosts could have found themselves behind when another fine Genia break stopped mere feet from the try line.
Last-ditch tackling saved England repeatedly, with a surging Ioane run only halted by a handling error, and Giteau put Australia in the lead with an angled penalty on the hour.
Twickenham roared on a sizzling Monye break and the game nearly turned on a moment of magic from Wilkinson, who chipped the Australian backline and slipped an inside pass to Geraghty in one fluid movement.
But England were unable to find the knockout blow and as Australia pressed in the English 22, Adam Ashley-Cooper crashed over the line to seal the Cook Cup win for the Wallabies, a fine Giteau conversion taking the score to 9-18.
After compact opening exchanges, Wilkinson marked his comeback with a perfect drop-goal in the third minute, reminding Australia that despite his injuries, he retains the deadly boot that cost them the 2003 World Cup.
A further three points arrived from a Wilkinson penalty when an English drive was disrupted by a needless spear tackle by Peter Hynes and while missing a host of senior players, Martin Johnson's new-look line-up looked confident and disciplined.
Wilkinson almost extended the lead on 11 minutes when his halfway line penalty struck the upright and Swing Low Sweet Chariot rang out in West London, the first time in recent memory the old favourite had been heard in the first half at Twickenham.
But the crowd's comfort soon proved short-lived as the impressive Genia darted over from two yards to get Australia back in the game.
England remained deservedly in the lead at 6-5 with 17 minutes remaining after a skewed Matt Giteau conversion attempt and rapid rucking from England's pack almost led to the hosts' first try soon after.
Matt Banahan and Lewis Moody came close on opposite flanks after hanging cross-field kicks before Wilkinson made it 9-5 with a simple penalty following an Australian infringement.
With the visitors repeatedly penalised by referee Bryce Lawrence, the home side could be pleased with a battling first-half showing.
But Australia looked rejuvenated in the opening ten minutes of the second half and some ragged handling from England threatened to derail the good work of the first 40 minutes.
England got out of jail in the 45th minute as Australia failed to capitalise on a two-man overlap by the English line though Giteau cut England's lead to a point after knocking over a penalty from the 22.
Quade Cooper and Digby Ioane combined well in the centres to break the English line on several occasions and the hosts could have found themselves behind when another fine Genia break stopped mere feet from the try line.
Last-ditch tackling saved England repeatedly, with a surging Ioane run only halted by a handling error, and Giteau put Australia in the lead with an angled penalty on the hour.
Twickenham roared on a sizzling Monye break and the game nearly turned on a moment of magic from Wilkinson, who chipped the Australian backline and slipped an inside pass to Geraghty in one fluid movement.
But England were unable to find the knockout blow and as Australia pressed in the English 22, Adam Ashley-Cooper crashed over the line to seal the Cook Cup win for the Wallabies, a fine Giteau conversion taking the score to 9-18.
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