[3] The school's Parents and Citizens Association (P&C) was established in March 1960, with a Student Council being formed in 1964.

As defined by the School Education Act 1999, the catchment area for Melville Senior High School attempts to cover the entire suburbs of Attadale, Melville and Willagee, and parts of the suburbs of Alfred Cove, Myaree and Kardinya.

[7] The school also shares areas of the suburbs of Bicton, East Fremantle, Fremantle and Palmyra with South Fremantle Senior High School and John Curtin College of the Arts; the suburb of North Fremantle with South Fremantle Senior High School, John Curtin College of the Arts and Shenton College; areas of the suburbs of Murdoch and Winthrop with Applecross Senior High School; and areas of the suburb of North Lake with Hamilton Senior High School.

Melville operates specialist programs in the areas of netball, aviation, graphic design and media, and the government selected gifted and talented education.

Notable people who have attended Melville Senior High School include: ^* The Government of Western Australia manages the Indian Ocean Territories under the Territories Law Reform Act 1992