Mitchell Johnson has revealed that he decided to retire from international cricket because he had "lost the hunger" as one of Australia's star bowlers.

The 34-year-old announced the news before the final day of the second Test against New Zealand, which ended in a draw at the WACA in Perth.

Johnson, who made his Test debut for Australia in November 2007, has bowed out with 313 Test match wickets to his name.

"I've been thinking about retiring for probably a year, it's sort of been up and down for me and after the World Cup I wasn't sure whether I wanted to play one day cricket anymore," Johnson told ABC Grandstand.

"I felt it a little bit in the first Test against New Zealand in Brisbane, a little bit in England, but there was a time in Brisbane where those tougher days are normally the ones I love but they really challenged me and I just didn't enjoy it.

"Out here at the WACA I just felt the same thing and didn't enjoy the challenge of those tough days, I'd lost the hunger and I thought it was time."

Johnson took 239 wickets from 153 one-day internationals and 38 wickets in 30 Twenty20s.