Final answer:
The first hominin species to reach Australia were likely ancestors of modern humans, Homo sapiens, arriving by at least 65,000 years ago. Earlier hominin species like Homo erectus had settled in parts of Southeast Asia but did not make the oceanic voyages to Australia.
Step-by-step explanation:
The first hominin species to make it to Australia were likely the ancestors of modern humans, Homo sapiens. While other hominin species like Homo erectus and Homo habilis exhibited important evolutionary developments such as upright walking and the use of stone tools, it was ultimately our own species that managed to disperse to Australia. Homo sapiens are known to have arrived on the Australian continent by at least 65,000 years ago, marking the first hominin presence in the region. This was a significant milestone in human migration and was achieved by navigating through various islands and water crossings, indicating advanced tool use, planning, and seafaring capabilities of early Homo sapiens.
Before the arrival of modern humans, other hominins such as Homo erectus had already settled parts of Southeast Asia, including Java, an island of the present-day Indonesia. This shows an expansion pattern where early hominins like Homo erectus were prone to inhabit adjacent landmasses that were accessible via land routes or short water gaps, not undertaking oceanic voyages required to reach Australia.