Before Holly Watkins was jet-setting to Stockholm to participate in the world’s most prestigious awards ceremony, she was a girl who grew up in Echuca.

The 2025 Nobel Prize award ceremony had representation from the Goulburn Valley in December, when Ms Watkins accompanied University of Melbourne professor Richard Robson as he accepted his Nobel Prize in Chemistry.

Professor Robson accepted the prize for his work alongside Professor Susumu Kitagawa, from Kyoto University, and Professor Omar M. Yaghi, from the University of California, Berkeley, for their development of metal-organic frameworks.

Sitting in a room with royalty, political figures and dignitaries was never a position Ms Watkins thought she would find herself in.

“It was completely surreal. It was a huge privilege to have the opportunity and to be surrounded by some of the world’s brightest minds as history is unfolding right before my eyes,” Ms Watkins said.

Over the past decade, she has built her career at the University of Melbourne on its media team, recently advancing to strategic communications lead in the faculty of science.

Her professional relationship with Professor Robson, 88, led to her being specially selected as one of 14 special guests to document this historic trip, with only a couple of weeks’ notice.

She described being selected as a “pinch me” moment.

The nine-day itinerary was packed with exclusive events: welcome parties, embassy lunches, the Nobel Prize concert, Professor Robson's special lecture, an elegant banquet and the ceremony itself.

“It was a packed week,” Ms Watkins said.

“Being able to see Professor Richard when he received the Nobel Prize, in itself, was astounding.

“Being 88, he was adamant he'd be going to Stockholm … to see the joy and pride on his face as he accepted the medal — it was really special.”

On returning to Australia, she headed back to Echuca for Christmas, where conversations flowed about her Swedish adventures.

“It was wonderful being able to close out the year (in Sweden) and then go home and tell them all about the trip,” she said.

“It’s hard to find the words because it was just so incredible and not something that I ever imagined doing.”

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Sunday, 24th January 2027

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