New spaces, big changes
Nofo'anga
Your new Learner Lounge in the Library
We are excited to announce that the new and improved Learner Lounge, Nofo'anga, will be available to all Nelson Campus learners from 6 October. Nofo'anga is Tongan for "a place like home." We would love Nofo'anga to be your home on campus: a place to get comfortable, collaborate, celebrate, and connect. Located right next to the Learner Success Helpdesk in M109, we're excited to hand this space over to our learners.
Learner Lounge: Available 8.30 am - 5.00 pm (Mon-Fri)
Fishbowl: Available 7.00 am - 10.00 pm (Every day)
This new space has had a lot of love put into it, including new flooring, paint, and a revamped student kitchen area. You'll notice that some of the older equipment hasn't reached M Block: for now, some will stay in Ake Ake. We'd like to know how you'd like to see your Nofo'anga evolve.
We're excited to share this space with you and see how you use it. To celebrate the new space and Mental Health Awareness Week, the Wellbeing and Learner Success teams will run lunchtime events from 6 October. These events will focus on creating a new home in Nofo'anga, and on the Five Ways to Wellbeing:
- Connect
- Keep Learning
- Give
- Take notice
- Be active
More details on this will go up on our digital screens in the coming weeks. Keep an eye out.
No N Block during the holiday break
Work on Ake Ake and N Block means no access between September 20 and October 6
As you will have seen (and heard), big things are happening in N block as we prepare for new exciting uses in 2026. Ake Ake is also changing as a part of this work. This work will be occurring during our Term 3 / Term 4 break between 20 September and 6 October.
All building access will be locked from 2.30 pm on 19 September and re-open on 6 October. If you need anything from your locker during this time, we highly recommend clearing this before the 19th. The Fish Bowl will become your home after hours for these two weeks.
Ake Ake will continue to operate but out of a pop-up shop in the Rata Room Restaurant in T Block. A selection of coffee, freshly baked scones, muffins, and cabinet food will be available for learners and staff at the following times:
Monday to Thursday (Both weeks): 8.30 am - 12.30 pm
Ake Ake will return to normal when N Block reopens on 6 October. As always, during construction, look for signage and coned-off areas, and stay safe.
