Yillimbiddi lies within the rugged sandstone country west of the Wunaamin
Miliwundi Ranges (formerly King Leopold Ranges), an area known for its
deep gorges, escarpments, and seasonal watercourses. The place marks
a distinctive rise in the landscape along a route that connects the stations and communities of the central and northern
Kimberley, land that Rover Thomas knew intimately from his years
working as a stockman before becoming an artist.
Rendered in natural ochres, the painting uses the distinctive pared-back
visual style that defines the East Kimberley style: blocks of earthy pigment
outlined with white, black, yellow and brown to describe the shape of
Country. Significantly, Thomas has included a painted hand within this
composition. In the Kimberley, the hand is a traditional symbol of
presence and belonging, found in rock art sites across the region. It
signifies the artist's connection to the land, an affirmation that 'this is my
Country' and a record of the human touch within an ancient landscape.