Queensland skipper Samu Kerevi has scored a last-ditch try for the Reds to claim a thrilling 29-24 Super Rugby victory over the Melbourne Rebels at AAMI Park.

Kerevi's try in the 79th minute broke a 24-24 deadlock and consigned the home side to a heartbreaking defeat on Saturday night.

Kerevi also scored the opening five-pointer of the game in Queensland's five-try haul that earned a bonus point and elevated them to second on the Australian conference ladder, above the Waratahs, who had the bye.

The win was the first for the Reds on the road in two years and leaves the Rebels bottom of the Aussie conference.

The Reds hadn't won away from home since May 2015 and ended a run of 10 successive losses against Australian opponents.

League convert Marika Koroibete levelled the score with a try in the 70th minute when he barrelled over, with Reece Hodge unable to convert.

Hodge's boot, however, had kept his team in the match with four earlier penalties.

In a frenetic final few minutes, Scott Higginbotham looked like he would score his second try of the night when he tried to take a Nick Frisby kick into the in-goal but he spilt the ball over the line.

In the end it didn't matter when Kerevi came up with the goods, Queensland took a 17-9 lead into halftime, hurt by a telling penalty count with veteran George Smith pinged three times in the opening 40 minutes in an otherwise impressive showing.

While they missed the win, the Rebels enjoyed a successful return from Sean McMahon, who played the second half in his first Super Rugby game of the season after finally overcoming injury.