Former ABC radio and television presenter David Hawkes has died aged 83 in Perth. 

The veteran broadcaster worked for the ABC and commercial networks in New South Wales, Queensland and Western Australia for more than four decades.

A statement from his former colleague and ABC presenter, Peter Holland, said Mr Hawkes died peacefully at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital at 8:00pm on Thursday.

He was surrounded by his family.

Mr Hawkes first joined the ABC in Brisbane in 1962 before moving to Perth, where he spent 33 years on air.

The versatile broadcaster held a number of roles, including news-reading, hosting a cooking program and a game show, and anchoring TV current affairs program Statewide. 

From 1987 until his retirement in 2003, he became a well-known voice, reading ABC news bulletins and taking over from John Juan to present the 6WF(720) Breakfast session. 

'Very popular, highly regarded'

Former colleague Peter Holland credited Mr Hawkes with being one of the most skilled and experienced broadcasters in Australia. 

"David started when he was extraordinarily young," Mr Holland said. 

"I think he was 15 when he left school and became an announcer at a commercial station in New South Wales or Queensland.

"After he came to the ABC in Perth, he worked briefly with 6PR and then he went down to Bunbury to the television station GWN."

Mr Hawkes was also the first coordinator of the WA Academy of Performing Arts broadcasting course, which he created with Geoff Gibbs.

However, according to Mr Holland, his greatest achievement was overcoming significant personal difficulties that caused setbacks to his career. 

"He completely reworked his life," Mr Holland said. 

Mr Hawkes's family have requested a private funeral, while a public celebration of his life is being organised for friends and colleagues.

Mr Holland said the "very popular" broadcaster would be greatly missed. 

"[David was] highly regarded by his colleagues and friends," he said. 

"For many years in retirement, he conducted a monthly luncheon of old ABC announcers who would get together and exchange tales of the past.

"Now we are having a get-together of friends and colleagues who want to pay [their] respects to the memory of David and pay tribute to him."