Melba College

Melba College is a public secondary school located in Croydon, Victoria, a suburb in the eastern part of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Established in 2012, Melba College serves students in Years 7 to 12 and had an enrolment of 669 students in 2024. The school’s main campus is located on Brentnall Road in Croydon.

History

In 2009, a proposal was made to merge Maroondah Secondary College and Croydon Secondary College to create a new educational facility aimed at improving secondary education within the region. The plan was part of the Maroondah Education Coalition's efforts, though it faced considerable community opposition.

Despite this, the decision to combine the schools was finalised, and both secondary colleges officially ceased operations at the end of 2011. In 2012, the merged school operated under the temporary name Croydon Maroondah Secondary College. In 2013, the school was officially rebranded as Melba Secondary College.

The community had been consulted for potential name suggestions, with the name "Melba" chosen in recognition of opera singer Nellie Melba and her cultural significance.

The merger also saw the closure of the nearby Parkwood Secondary College, with some of its students enrolling at the newly formed Melba College. The school’s founding principal was Terry Bennett, who had previously led Maroondah Secondary College.

Between 2013 and 2017, the school operated across two campuses, with the former Croydon Secondary College site serving as the Junior Campus and the Brentnall Road site (formerly Maroondah SC) as the Senior Campus. In 2018, after substantial redevelopment, Melba College became a single-campus school.

Building Works

The Maroondah and Croydon Secondary Colleges were originally promised $100 million for redevelopment under the Maroondah Education Plan prior to the 2010 Victorian state election. However, when the government changed, the funding was not delivered, leaving the schools to operate without significant infrastructure upgrades for several years.

In the lead-up to the 2014 state election, both major political parties pledged $10 million toward school improvements. Melba College was subsequently included in the 2015–16 state budget as part of a $217 million package for statewide school upgrades. This included $500,000 in planning funds for an $18.4 million redevelopment.

The school has since undergone three stages of redevelopment:

Stage 1 (2015–2018): Consolidated the school to a single campus at Brentnall Road. It included the construction of three double-storey buildings, a new library, cafeteria, and administration area. The $18.4 million project received the Best School Project – Above $5 million award at the 2018 Victorian School Design Awards.

Stage 2 (Completed 2020): Delivered a new STEAM centre and competition-grade indoor basketball stadium, developed in partnership with Kilsyth Basketball and Sport & Recreation Victoria. This $12.55 million project was a finalist at the 2020 School Design Awards.

Stage 3 (Underway 2023–2027): Features a performing arts centre, new sports oval, and parking improvements. The $12.7 million upgrade is expected to be completed by late 2027.

Programs

Melba College competes in sporting events through School Sport Victoria (SSV) at division, regional and state levels, including athletics, swimming, cross-country and team sports.

The school has a strong music program. Its band plays at local events and marches in Melbourne’s annual ANZAC Day Parade.

Melba College offers VCE, VCE Vocational Major and VET studies across STEM, humanities, the arts, and languages. Students also participate in drama productions, leadership initiatives, house competitions, camps, and clubs.

A highlight of the co-curricular calendar is the annual Melba College Production. Previous musicals have included:

2025 – ''Legally Blonde''

2024 – ''All Shook Up''

2023 – ''The Addams Family''

2022 – ''Shrek''

2021 – ''Wicked''

Achievements

In 2024, Melba College achieved:

A VCE median study score of 31.6

"Blue Certification" in the School-Wide Positive Behaviour Support (SWPBS) program

Notable Alumni

Matthew Haanappel – Paralympic gold medalist swimmer

References

{{Reflist

External links

Official websiteSchool Buildings Victoria – Melba CollegeCouncil Directory listing

Secondary schools in Melbourne
Buildings and structures in the City of Maroondah
Educational institutions established in 2012
2012 establishments in Australia