Final answer:
Captain James Cook is the first Englishman credited with landing on the Australian mainland and reporting on the kangaroos. He mapped the eastern coast of Australia in 1770 and claimed the area known as New South Wales for Britain.
Step-by-step explanation:
The individual credited as the first Englishman to set foot on the Australian mainland and report on the large hopping animals is James Cook. Captain Cook, a naval officer working for the British navy, mapped Australia's eastern coast in 1770 aboard the ship Endeavour. During his voyage, Cook landed at Botany Bay, which is located just south of what is now the city of Sydney. He claimed the area for Britain and named it New South Wales, setting the stage for future British interest in the continent.
While Captain Cook is often remembered for his mapping endeavors, the large hopping animals he encountered are known today as kangaroos, which were a significant aspect of the unique wildlife documented during the voyage. Sir Joseph Banks, a botanist who traveled with Cook, was integral to the Natural History Illustration movement, documenting thousands of plants and wildlife, including the kangaroos that were so striking to European explorers.