Overview
Background
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 that combine 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 allow high‑quality scientific analysis in regional, industrial, and operational settings.
I work extensively with industry partners and government agencies—such as the Great Ocean Road Coast and Parks Authority—to support rapid documentation and preservation of fossil footprints. I also collaborate closely with regional communities and citizen scientists, recognising their essential role in discovering, recording, and safeguarding Australia’s trace fossil heritage.
My research has received sustained national recognition within a decade of completing my PhD (2014). I was listed as a Lead Researcher in Australia in the Palaeontology category by The Australian Research Magazine in 2023, 2024, 2025, and 2026, reflecting the impact and innovation of my contributions to digital palaeontology. My work spans major Australian and international tracksites and is strongly oriented toward public engagement, heritage protection, and translating scientific research beyond academia.
Availability
- Dr Anthony Romilio is:
- 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 strengthens decision‑making in heritage management by improving how fossil tracksites are documented, preserved, and interpreted. Through remote and non‑disruptive documentation methods, I support industry partners in recording scientifically important footprints without interrupting operational workflows, helping balance economic activity with cultural and environmental stewardship.
Internationally, my work applies digital documentation frameworks across diverse geological and regulatory contexts, promoting methodological consistency and capacity building in ichnological research. Community engagement remains a central impact of my work: I design accessible digital tools and documentation protocols that empower citizen scientists and regional communities to identify and safeguard trace fossil sites. Public lectures, media contributions, exhibitions, and school‑based outreach further extend this impact, deepening public understanding of Australia’s fossil heritage and supporting curriculum‑aligned learning in regional and Indigenous communities.
Works
Search Professor Anthony Romilio’s works on UQ eSpace
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
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:
- Available for supervision
Looking for a supervisor? Read our advice on how to choose a supervisor.
Available projects
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Dinosaur locomotion and behaviour from fossil trackways
This project investigates dinosaur locomotion, behaviour, and group dynamics using fossil footprints and trackways. Students will apply quantitative and digital methods to analyse trackway geometry, gait parameters, and spatial patterns from Australian and international sites. The project is suitable for candidates interested in dinosaur behaviour, biomechanics, and trace fossil analysis, and can be tailored to theropod, sauropod, or ornithopod trackways.
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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