The first AMC, held in 1978 and sponsored by the Bank of New South Wales, later Westpac Banking Corporation, attracted about 60,000 students from 700 schools, including about 900 from 15 New Zealand schools.

A total of 12 medals were identified, and these were presented at a function at the Canberra College of Advanced Education (later the University of Canberra) by the Governor-General of Australia, Sir Zelman Cowen AK GCMG GCVO QC.

Medallistsare shown in this photo, with Sir Zelman and Sir Noel Foley, Chairman of the Board of the Bank of New South Wales. Back row from left David McAnally, Ezra Getzler, Neil Brown, Andrew Lenart, Sean Case, David Morley. Front row from left Brian Cheong, Nigel Peck, Thomas Bull, Daryl Williams, Wesley Phoa.

Matthew Dyer, who is not in the group photo, shows his medal.

The medallists were:

AMC Medallists from the Junior, Intermediate & Senior Divisions
NAME	SCHOOL		YR
BROWN Neil	Watson High School	ACT	8
BULL Thomas	Trinity College	WA	8
CASE Gilbert	Brisbane Grammar School	QLD	8
CHEONG Brian	Anglican Church Grammar School	QLD	8
PECK Nigel	Knox Grammar School	NSW	8
PHOA Wesley	Prince Alfred College	SA	8
LENART Andrew	North Sydney Boys High School	NSW	10
MORLEY David	Melbourne Church of England Grammar School	VIC	10
WILLIAMS Daryl	Scotch College	TAS	10
DYER Matthew	Hurstville Boys High School	NSW	11
GETZLER Ezra*	Phillip College	ACT	12
McANALLY David*	The Gap State High School	QLD	12

* denotes perfect score

Notes

Of the two perfect scorers in this first AMC we can provide some follow-up.

Ezra Getzler went on to obtain a PhD at Harvard. He is now a full professor at North-Western University and this is his web page. He is one of Australia's most noted mathematicians.

David McAnally also went on to earn a University Medal at the University of Queensland in 1983, followed by a PhD in mathematical physics, also at the University of Queensland, and is shown here after graduating (in 1990).

In his professional career, David worked at the Research Institute for Mathematical Sciences at Kyoto University, in Japan - as well as working at the University of Melbourne, the University of Tasmania, and the University of Queensland. He researched areas such as Shor's algorithm. Tragically he died in 2006 at the age of 44 years.

David Morley was to obtain medals also in 1979 and 1980 and a perfect score in 1980. A brief regime on his later career can be found on the 1980 page.