Overview
Background
Research Associate, UQ DINOSAUR LAB, School of the Environment
I have been listed as Australia's Lead Researcher in the field of Palaeontology in 2026, 2025, 2024, and 2023 by The Australian Research Magazine.
I am a palaeo‑ichnologist and evolutionary biologist specialising in dinosaur footprints and fossil trackways, using digital and quantitative methods to reconstruct how extinct animals moved, behaved, and interacted with their environments.
My research focuses on extracting biological and behavioural information from footprints and trackways—particularly where body fossils are rare or absent. I develop and apply digital workflows combining photogrammetry, spatial measurements, and custom analytical tools to study dinosaur locomotion, group behaviour, and palaeoecology in a reproducible and scalable way. A strong emphasis of my work is the use of remote and non‑destructive methods that enable high‑quality scientific analysis in regional, industrial, and operational settings.
I work with industry partners and government agencies—including the Great Ocean Road Coast and Parks Authority—to support rapid documentation and preservation of fossil footprints, and collaborate closely with regional communities and citizen scientists who play an essential role in discovering and safeguarding Australia's trace fossil heritage.
Availability
- Dr Anthony Romilio is:
- Not available for supervision
- Media expert
Qualifications
- Doctor of Philosophy of Palaeontology, The University of Queensland
Research interests
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Dinosaur footprints and trackways
I reconstruct dinosaur locomotion, behaviour, and palaeoecology through detailed analysis of fossil footprints and trackways. My work focuses on interpreting movement patterns, group dynamics, and trackmaker identity using spatial measurements, 3D datasets, and quantitative comparisons across Australian and international sites.
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Digital and quantitative palaeontology
My research develops and applies digital workflows—including photogrammetry, 3D modelling, spatial landmarking, and machine‑learning‑assisted classification—to analyse fossil track morphology. These reproducible and non‑destructive methods support scientific analysis, heritage protection, and rapid documentation in operational settings.
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Fossil heritage, industry, and community engagement
I work at the interface of palaeontology, industry, and community participation to improve the discovery, documentation, and preservation of fossil footprints. This includes collaborations with mining operations, regulatory agencies, community groups, and international research partners to promote high‑quality heritage outcomes and widespread public engagement.
Research impacts
My research improves how fossil tracksites are documented, preserved, and interpreted—directly supporting decision‑making in heritage management. Remote, non‑disruptive documentation methods allow industry partners to record scientifically important footprints without interrupting operational workflows, balancing economic activity with cultural and environmental stewardship.
Internationally, I promote methodological consistency and capacity building across diverse geological and regulatory contexts. Community impact is central to my work: accessible digital tools and documentation protocols empower citizen scientists and regional communities to identify and protect trace fossil sites, while public lectures, media contributions, and school-based outreach deepen public understanding of Australia's fossil heritage.
Works
Search Professor Anthony Romilio’s works on UQ eSpace
2016
Conference Publication
Simulated range of motion and hindfoot posture of Rhoetosaurus brownei Longman, 1926 (Sauropoda, Gravisauria)
Jannel, A., Panagiotopoulou, O., Romilio, A., Nair, J. P. and Salisbury, S. W. (2016). Simulated range of motion and hindfoot posture of Rhoetosaurus brownei Longman, 1926 (Sauropoda, Gravisauria). Palaeo Down Under 2, Adelaide Australia, July 2016. Sydney, NSW Australia: Geological Society of Australia.
2016
Conference Publication
Palaeoenvironmental setting of non-avian dinosaur tracks in the Lower Cretaceous (Valanginian–Barremian) Broome Sandstone of Reddell Beach, Dampier Peninsula, Western Australia
Gray, S., Romilio, A., Hacker, J., Chamberlain, P. and Salisbury, S. W. (2016). Palaeoenvironmental setting of non-avian dinosaur tracks in the Lower Cretaceous (Valanginian–Barremian) Broome Sandstone of Reddell Beach, Dampier Peninsula, Western Australia. Palaeo Down Under 2, Adelaide, Australia, July 2016. Sydney, Australia: Geological Society of Australia.
2016
Conference Publication
Reconstruction of the motion and hindfoot posture of Rhoetosaurus brownei Longman, 1926 (Sauropoda, Gravisauria)
Jannel, Andréas, Panagiotopoulou, Olga, Romilio, Anthony , Nair, Jay P. and Salisbury, Steven W. (2016). Reconstruction of the motion and hindfoot posture of Rhoetosaurus brownei Longman, 1926 (Sauropoda, Gravisauria). The Palaeontological Association 60th Annual Meeting, Université Claude Bernard Lyon, Lyon, France, 79, 14-17 December, 2016.
2016
Conference Publication
New approaches to evaluating the Australian dinosaur tracksites of Lark Quarry, Queensland and of the Broome Sandstone, Western Australia
Romilio, A., Hacker, J. and Salisbury, S. W. (2016). New approaches to evaluating the Australian dinosaur tracksites of Lark Quarry, Queensland and of the Broome Sandstone, Western Australia. Spring Meeting of the Korean Earth Science Society and Gyeongnam Goseong International Dinosaur Symposium, Gyeongnam, South Korea, 2016. Seoul, South Korea: Gyeongnam Educational Welfare Center.
2016
Conference Publication
3D digital analysis of non-avian dinosaur tracksites at Lark Quarry and Minyirr: implications for understanding Australia's Cretaceous dinosaurian fauna
Salisbury, S. W., Romilio, A. and Hacker, J. (2016). 3D digital analysis of non-avian dinosaur tracksites at Lark Quarry and Minyirr: implications for understanding Australia's Cretaceous dinosaurian fauna. Palaeo Down Under 2, Adelaide, SA, Australia, July 2016. Sydney Australia: Geological Society of Australia.
2014
Journal Article
Large dinosaurian tracks from the Upper Cretaceous (Cenomanian-Turonian) portion of the Winton Formation, Lark Quarry, central-western Queensland, Australia: 3D photogrammetric analysis renders the 'stampede trigger' scenario unlikely
Romilio, Anthony and Salisbury, Steven W. (2014). Large dinosaurian tracks from the Upper Cretaceous (Cenomanian-Turonian) portion of the Winton Formation, Lark Quarry, central-western Queensland, Australia: 3D photogrammetric analysis renders the 'stampede trigger' scenario unlikely. Cretaceous Research, 51, 186-207. doi: 10.1016/j.cretres.2014.06.003
2014
Other Outputs
No dinosaur stampede at Lark Quarry – so what really happened?
Salisbury, Steven and Romilio, Anthony (2014, 07 15). No dinosaur stampede at Lark Quarry – so what really happened? The Conversation
2014
Other Outputs
The ichnological record of Australian Cretaceous ornithopodan dinosaurs: diversity, behaviour, and implications for the evolution of pedal posture
Romilio, Anthony (2014). The ichnological record of Australian Cretaceous ornithopodan dinosaurs: diversity, behaviour, and implications for the evolution of pedal posture. PhD Thesis, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland. doi: 10.14264/uql.2019.494
2014
Conference Publication
Ichnological evidence for diverse pedal postures in ornithopodan dinosaurs
Romilio, Anthony and Salisbury, Steven (2014). Ichnological evidence for diverse pedal postures in ornithopodan dinosaurs. The 74th Annual Meeting of Society of Vertebrate Paleontology (SVP) conference, Berlin, Germany, 5–8 November 2014. doi: 10.13140/2.1.1953.2485
Featured
2013
Journal Article
Reevaluation of the Lark Quarry Dinosaur Tracksite (Late Albian-Cenomanian Winton Formation, Central-Western Queensland, Australia): No Longer a Stampede?
Romilio, Anthony, Tucker, Ryan T. and Salisbury, Steven W. (2013). Reevaluation of the Lark Quarry Dinosaur Tracksite (Late Albian-Cenomanian Winton Formation, Central-Western Queensland, Australia): No Longer a Stampede?. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, 33 (1), 102-120. doi: 10.1080/02724634.2012.694591
2013
Conference Publication
Three-dimensional analysis of the largest tracks from the Lark Quarry dinosaur tracksite, central-western Queensland
Romilio, A. and Salisbury, S. W. (2013). Three-dimensional analysis of the largest tracks from the Lark Quarry dinosaur tracksite, central-western Queensland. CAVEPS Flinders University, Adelaide 2013, 14th Conference on Australasian Vertebrate Evolution, Palaeontology and Systematics, Adelaide, Australia, 30 September - 4 October 2013. Adelaide, Australia: Flinders University.
2013
Conference Publication
Dinosaur tracks from the Walmadany area (James Price Point), Dampier Peninsula, Western Australia
Salisbury, Steven W., Romilio, Anthony, Herne, Matthew C., Tucker, Ryan T. and Nair, Jay P. (2013). Dinosaur tracks from the Walmadany area (James Price Point), Dampier Peninsula, Western Australia. 14th Conference on Australasian Vertebrate Evolution, Palaeontology and Systematics, Adelaide, SA, Australia, 30 September - 4 October 2013. Adelaide South Australia: Flinders University.
2012
Conference Publication
Re-interpretation of the dinosaur track-maker identities and tracksite scenario at Lark Quarry, of the mid-Cretaceous (late Albian-Cenomanian) Winton Formation, central-western Queensland, Australia
Romilio, Anthony and Salisbury, S. W. (2012). Re-interpretation of the dinosaur track-maker identities and tracksite scenario at Lark Quarry, of the mid-Cretaceous (late Albian-Cenomanian) Winton Formation, central-western Queensland, Australia. Dinosaur Tracks 2011. An International Symposium, Obernkirchen, April 14–17, 2011. Abstract Volume and Field Guide to Excursions, Obernkirchen, Germany, 14–17 April 2011. Gottingen, Germany: Universitatsverlag Gottingen.
2011
Journal Article
A reassessment of large theropod dinosaur tracks from the mid-Cretaceous (late Albian-Cenomanian) Winton Formation of Lark Quarry, central-western Queensland, Australia: A case for mistaken identity
Romilio, Anthony and Salisbury, Steven W. (2011). A reassessment of large theropod dinosaur tracks from the mid-Cretaceous (late Albian-Cenomanian) Winton Formation of Lark Quarry, central-western Queensland, Australia: A case for mistaken identity. Cretaceous Research, 32 (2), 135-142. doi: 10.1016/j.cretres.2010.11.003
2011
Conference Publication
Re-examination of the Lark Quarry dinosaur tracksite reveals an absence of tracks referable to nonavian theropods
Romilio, A. and Salisbury, S. (2011). Re-examination of the Lark Quarry dinosaur tracksite reveals an absence of tracks referable to nonavian theropods. Geological Survey of Western Australia 2011, CAVEPS Perth 2011, 13th Conference on Australasian Vertebrate Evolution Palaeontology and Systematics, Perth, Australia, 27–30 April 2011. Perth, Australia: Geological Survey of Western Australia, Record 2011/9.
Supervision
Availability
- Dr Anthony Romilio is:
- Not available for supervision
Supervision history
Current supervision
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Doctor Philosophy
Distribution, abundance, and palaeoecological insights into theropod tracks of the Broome Sandstone, Western Australia
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Steven Salisbury
Media
Enquiries
Contact Dr Anthony Romilio directly for media enquiries about:
- Citizen science
- Dinosaur footprints
- Dinosaur tracks
- Dinosaur trackways
- Dinosaurs
- Evolution
- Fossil footprints
- Fossil heritage
- Mining and fossils
- Palaeontology
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