Students call for vibrant social spaces at Caulfield
Should Caulfield Campus get more social spaces like at Clayton?
Like many university students, Maisie Spink enjoys a balanced lifestyle. She concentrates on her studies as a Bachelor of Business and Arts student, and stays active, but also enjoys her Saturday nights out socialising with friends.
Having seen the university experience in her favourite movie, Pitch Perfect, excluding the a capella, she says she imagined university life to be a mix of work and play.
Although Australian campuses are different from the fictional Barden University, which featured in Pitch Perfect, Spink often hopes for a campus life that offers more than a library and cafes.
“I think it’s really cool when universities have a really inclusive campus atmosphere and there's lots of activities to do on site,” Spink said.
As Spink nears the end of her degree, her classes are shifting from a mix of both Monash Caulfield and Clayton campuses to purely at Caulfield. But like many, she feels the difference between Caulfield and Clayton.
“When I would be at the Clayton campus, there is just so much more to choose from, like the places to chill in between classes … and food outlets,” Spink says.
“It’s not because Clayton is so much bigger, but there is just more variety.”
When it comes to variety of social spaces on campus, for too long Caulfield has been in the shadow of Clayton.
Monash University’s Clayton campus has the lemon-scented lawns, a state-of-the-art theatre, a jazz club, restaurants, bars and more. It even has a Guzman y Gomez. Caulfield campus falls short by comparison (although this is probably beneficial for the bank account).
Caulfield Plaza, located adjacent to the multi-level car park, has been dormant since August 2023 (goodbye to the days of the best sweet chilli chicken wraps from the Plaza). With initial plans to re-open the space in early 2026, those plans have not been met, or achieved.
The Caulfield Plaza project aimed to modernise the space and provide an accessible retail hub for Caulfield students and staff. But two years later, in August 2025, Monash released a project update saying the site would remain closed to "prioritise and support long-term campus expansion".
The update mentioned wanting to develop food and beverage experiences for Monash students, but gave no specifics. This was then due for another update in late 2025, but students have not heard anything so far.
The August update noted that “staff and student input will be essential to ensure any improvements reflect the needs and preferences of our campus community”.
In this spirit, and having yet to see a reported survey on how the lack of action on the Plaza has impacted staff or students, MOJO News asked members of the Monash Caulfield community for their thoughts on what could be improved in campus life.
Their ideas ranged from creative arts to hospitality:
“Maybe an arts or crafts place … or a lounge area to take a nap” - Aniska (Bachelor of Business)
“More food places, more versatile places” - Vibodh John (Bachelor of Business and Banking and Finance)
“I would love a pub on campus” - Tierry (Bachelor of Business)
“We need more good cafes on campus with more diversity. We've got, like, three of the same cafes” - Ava (Bachelor of Business and Marketing)
“Maybe a drinks area, a nice bar … [but] lots of communal areas are quite loud so maybe ... a quiet area that’s not the Library would be nice” - Tania (Faculty of Arts staff)
Those interviewed said Caulfield could benefit from having spaces to relax in after class, or an inviting place to sit and debrief about a group assignment with something other than cafe food.
Another idea is for an on-campus pub. Spink said she sees the appeal of it – not only for a drink, but also for a hearty meal between or after classes.
“If we were to have a pub on campus I think it would be really cool to be a place to hang out with friends after class," Spink said.
"A classic pub with pool tables and a beer garden would fit in well with the Monash Caulfield vibe."
Monash Buildings and Property declined to comment.
Keep your eyes peeled for further updates.
