"He has a reputation for getting things done and making things happen," Mr Morrison said in a second tweet. "I wish him all the best as he charts the way forward for the UK. We have a great relationship with the UK and it will remain so with Boris."

Mr Johnson is likely to make signing a free-trade agreement with Australia a priority after Brexit on October 31.

That's because he has a well-known soft spot for Australia, which he once described as "the most advanced country on Earth".

He took a gap year Down Under after finishing school, where he taught English and Latin at Geelong Grammar's Timbertop campus. He even claims to like Vegemite.

He has been a regular visitor, and when Mayor of London he called for a visa-free system of free movement for citizens of Australia and Britain between the two countries. This earned him the 2014 award for "Honorary Australian of the Year" from the London-based Australia Day Foundation.

He also owes much of his electoral success to an Australian - the former Liberal Party director turned London-based consultant and Conservative consigliere Lynton Crosby.


As foreign secretary, he struck up a close rapport with former foreign minister Julie Bishop. By the standards of most British foreign secretaries - William Hague excepted - he was singularly attentive to efforts to bolster the two countries' relationship.

Ms Bishop's successor, Foreign Minister Marise Payne, also took to Twitter to congratulate him - and to commiserate with her most recent British counterpart, Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt, whom Mr Johnson vanquished in the leadership campaign.

"Congratulations to Boris Johnson on his election as Conservative Leader. I look forward to continuing our dynamic and enduring partnership with Britain," she tweeted.

"The democratic process we both cherish is founded in robust political competition. I applaud Jeremy Hunt for his campaign."

Another fan of Mr Johnson's is former prime minister Tony Abbott, who has known him since at least his mayoralty days.

"Congratulations to Boris Johnson on becoming prime minister at a critical time in Britain’s history. He has the courage and the passion to keep Britain great," Mr Abbott tweeted.