FORMER Warwick local Caitlyn Gribbin has won the Walkley Young Australian Journalist of the Year award for radio for the second year running.

Caitlyn grew up in Warwick, attending St Mary's and Assumption College before heading to Mt Isa, Bundaberg, Brisbane and now Perth working for the ABC.

Former Sunrise host Melissa Doyle was one of the three judges who chose Caitlyn as the winner in the radio/audio journalism category.

The judges praised her work for the stories "The Kununurra Midnight Prowlers", "Bushfire residents return home" and "Graziers turn to desperate measures":

Caitlyn dedicated the prestigious award to her always supportive mum Julie, who passed away suddenly three months ago.

"My parents Peter and Julie have instilled in me a sense of compassion and a desire to tell the stories of people who otherwise may not have a voice," Caitlyn said.

"I know Mum would be so pleased about this award and she particularly loved my radio documentary on the Kununurra Midnight Prowlers.

"This award is very much for Mum and she continues to motivate and inspire me in my career every day."

Joining her at the awards ceremony in Sydney on Wednesday night was Caitlyn's younger sister Hannah.

"It was very special to share the moment with her," Caitlyn said.

"I was quite shocked when I heard my name announced as the winner, especially because of the very high quality journalism submitted by the other finalists. It's an honour to have been judged for this award by Melissa Doyle from Sunrise. I have enormous respect for Melissa, so to impress her with my work is very humbling."

She put her success in journalism down to her parents and the opportunities she has had in the industry, including where it all began.

"I learnt much of my craft at the Warwick Daily News, before working for the ABC in Mount Isa, Bundaberg, Brisbane and now Perth," she said. "All of those opportunities have been vital to my development as a journalist."

At the awards, Caitlyn had the opportunity to rub shoulders with some of the best journalists in Australia.

"It's not very often they're all in the same room and it was a fantastic experience speaking with former foreign correspondents, ABC News senior managers and television presenters," she said.

And it seems it won't be long at all until Caitlyn too becomes a household name across the country, with the talented journo working on a story with the ABC National Reporting Team which is set to air nationally on 7.30 next week.