A series of rediscovered images reveals how Indigenous people viewed early European settlers. As Belinda Tromp writes photographer David Hancock, along with Indigenous elders, travelled to remote parts of the Arnhem Land plateau to unearth these rock paintings.

The painting inside a rock overhang shows a man with unusual headwear riding a horse.

The man is thought to be Ludwig Leichhardt, portrayed by an Aboriginal artist who observed the explorer passing through this remote Arnhem Land plateau in 1845. Having lost his hat early in his expedition, Leichhardt wore a canvas bag as a head covering.

Cleary the artist was fascinated by the horse, depicting the mare's wide stiff legged stance as it urinated.

In another rock painting, six men in wide-brimmed hats stand on a boat under a sunshade slung between sails. Along the deck are cargo boxes. Again the artist recalled in great detail what he'd seen - the vessel has an anchor chain and one of the men smokes a pipe.

These two paintings are among hundreds dotted across the vast Arnhem Land plateau east of Darwin that record the arrival of Europeans through indigenous eyes.

Firearms feature prominently in these first impressions, around 50 depictions of double-barrelled shotguns, rifles and handguns and ammunition.

The artists were also fascinated with European clothing, and equipment such as fish nets and saddle bags.

The are images of exotic animals, including pigs, buffalo and chickens, along with the ubiquitous horse.

While some of the rock paintings can be seen from a helicopter, others are so hidden and isolated they have only recently been rediscovered.

Now for the first time, these images have been photographed and catalogued for exhibition.

Project leader Peter Cooke pored over hundreds of written records to connect the images with documented historical events.

He believes that one set of horse images dates back to 1867 and a highly charged encounter between Captain Francis Cadell and indigenous people, documented by Cadell:

'The stockman suddenly wheeling his horse, charged towards the natives, which scattered them in all directions, first to their great fear and afterwards to their infinite amusement.'

In the last couple of years, traditional owners helped locate the rock paintings with photographer David Hancock.

Many of these traditional owners were seeing the paintings for the first time.

Their ancestors drifted away from the 'stone country' in the early 20th century, towards places like Oenpelli and Maningrida.

Over the years, the Nawardekken people have started to return to their country and to rediscover these images.

Peter Cooke says 'people like (indigenous elder) Bardayal Nadjamerrek wanted to finish their lives on their country and wanted to go back and drink from the source of their spiritual well.'

He says the Nawardekken are hoping to raise funds to protect these rock paintings from being damaged by the elements, feral animals, and bushfire.

The photos are on show at Trinity Grammar School art gallery in Melbourne (Charles Street, Kew) from May 27 to June 3, and from June 6 to 26 at a private gallery in Fairfield.