After being sent in under overcast skies at the WACA Ground in Perth on Thursday, Queensland crashed to 3-51 at drinks, before Clayton (82) and captain Peirson (65no) put the visitors into a sound position when a third rain delay forced an end to proceedings after 74.1 overs.
"It's obviously nice to start the season in a decent way," Clayton said.
"It would have been nice to get three figures.
"Hopefully we can kick on and put ourselves in a nice position tomorrow morning.
"When they were putting the ball in good areas, it was doing something the whole day."
Dashing Hugh Weibgen (35 off 40 balls) attacked the new ball in bowler-friendly conditions, thumping his first delivery for four and launching Joel Paris for a straight six in just the fifth over of the morning.
Paris removed opener Angus Lovell for three, before seamer Kieran Elliott (2-43) made a dream start to his first red-ball game for WA after crossing from Tasmania, coming on second change and striking with his third ball with a vicious in-ducker that castled Hugo Burdon (8), who shouldered arms.
Elliott made it two strikes in his first nine deliveries for his new state when he nicked off Weibgen.
"It's not often that you start with two (wickets) in your first two overs," Elliott said.
"Hopefully that's a bit of a pattern of things to come.
"The wicket was doing quite a bit early on.
"On another day, maybe we take four or five quick ones rather than two or three."
Clayton piloted Queensland's fightback, combining in partnerships of 67 with Lachlan Hearne (33) and 97 with wicketkeeper Peirson, playing his 100th first-class game.
Offspinner Corey Rocchiccioli (2-85) did some heavy lifting for WA and broke both partnerships.
Rocchiccioli enticed Hearne to hole out loosely, before luring Clayton into edging to Cameron Bancroft at slip.
Hayden Kerr (17) departed moments before the second rain delay, before the players came back on for nine balls, only for the weather to have the final say.Â
