Nikkita had top personality

Local model Nikkita Dries finished in the top five in a Swimwear Model of the Year contest held in Surfers Paradise.

The contest ran for a week from April 1 with 40 models from around Australia and New Zealand competing.

Nikkita took the title of "Miss Personality" in the competition, an accolade she said was more "satisfying than anything else".

Ms Dries said that as a girl she wanted to become a model, however, it was hard to find support to do so.

At the age of 14 she moved out of her Budgewoi home and moved to Umina where she has since lived.

She started entering modeling contests last January at the age of 18, where she had been an in-house model for Bonds, had competed in Miss Indy contests, and is now set to appear on the cover of Street Sport magazine.

This year, she has won the final at the Auto Salon Car Show in Sydney and was awarded the title of Sydney Miss Auto Salon.

She will compete later in the year for the national title.

She is also promoting the Australian version of the hit American TV show "Pimp My Ride".

Aaron Goldsmith, April 7