Founded by the Methodist Church of Australia in 1907, MLC is a non-selective school, and in 2024, it had about 1,040 girls from pre-kindergarten to Year 12, including 90 boarders.

The early traditions of the college were established by Maud Connell, Head Mistress from 1908 to 1913, who chose the colours of green and gold, and the school motto Per Ardua Ad Alta, which may be translated from Latin as "Strive for the Highest".

She was succeeded by Gertrude Mary Walton who allowed students to learn at their own pace using the Dalton Plan.

As with most Australian schools, MLC utilises a house system through which girls participate in inter-house activities.

MLC holds a large number of events annually for sports and the arts, including: ATAR for Year 12 students Year – Rank – Median score 2019 – #6 – 89.95 2018 – #4 – 92.55 2017 – #19 – 87.5 2016 – #9 – 90.3 The school has performed well in the WACE exams and is often rated as one of the best schools in the state.