Melanoma is a major public health problem in both Australia and New Zealand. These guidelines are designed to assist clinicians who care for patients with melanoma. They were compiled by a multidisciplinary team and it is hoped they will assist in raising standards of care by specifying evidence-based protocols for the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up of melanoma. As well as being a best practice resource for doctors it is expected they will be useful for other health care professionals and patients, who may not only seek information but who may also require reassurance that the treatment they are receiving is evidence-based.