Brett Peter Cowan will remain in jail for Daniel Morcombe's murder.

The Queensland Court of Appeal dismissed his bid to have his conviction overturned on Thursday, along with the Attorney-General's appeal to have his 20-year minimum sentence increased.

But Cowan's lawyers have foreshadowed a High Court challenge to the verdict, leaving Daniel's father Bruce Morcombe cautious about celebrating outside court in the wake of the decision.

Sunshine Coast schoolboy Daniel was 13 years old when he disappeared while waiting for a bus on Nambour Connection Road, under the Kiel Mountain Road overpass on December 7, 2003.

Cowan was charged with Daniel's murder on August 13, 2011 and the schoolboy's remains were found in the Glass House area in the ensuing months.

He was sentenced to life in jail with a minimum non-parole period of 20 years after a jury found him guilty following a Supreme Court trial in 2014.

It took more than 10 years for Cowan to face court for Daniel's murder but brevity was the order of the day when the Court of Appeal delivered its judgement.

Court of Appeal president Justice Margaret McMurdo took just seconds to dismiss both Cowan's appeal against conviction and the Attorney-General's appeal against the sentence.

"The orders are: One, the appeal against conviction is dismissed and two; the appeal against sentence is dismissed," she said.

Justice McMurdo announced the publication of the judgement reasons and shortly after left the court.

The hastily convened hearing in the Court of Appeal meant just Daniel's father Bruce Morcombe was in court to hear his son's killer would remain in jail.

As she was catching a previously booked flight, Daniel's mother Denise Morcombe had yet to be informed of the outcome when her husband spoke to media outside court.

But she tweeted soon after, saying Daniel could finally rest in peace and bidding "good riddance" to her son's killer.

Mr Morcombe said he would be spending the evening alone and that it was a night not for celebration but reflection.

"It's very mixed emotions, it's been a long process," he said.

Cowan's lawyer Tim Meehan said he would seek instruction from his client as to whether to take the matter to the High Court for further appeal.

At the centre of contention for Cowan's legal team, is that the confession elicited through an undercover sting by police was inadmissible as evidence at trial.

"The big question at the centre of this appeal really is a matter for the High Court to determine rather than an intermediary appellant court," he said.

"Without going through the appeal chapter and verse, we say the police officers involved in this particular operation overstepped the mark and their illegality rendered the admissions inadmissible.

"We say this is outside the scope [of the Court of Appeal] and the High Court should reconsider the matter afresh."

With the prospect of a High Court challenge, Mr Morcombe was cautious in expressing his relief his family's 11-year ordeal may finally be over.

But he said he and his wife had faith the Court of Appeal would dismiss Cowan's bid to have his conviction for their son's murder overturned.

"I was never fearful it was going to go the other way, I always retained faith in the justice system, that good police work, good forensic work at the end of the day has resulted in a guilty person being maintained with a guilty verdict and that's the right thing," he said.

The Court of Appeal also dismissed the Attorney-General's appeal to have Cowan's 20-year minimum jail term increased but Mr Morcombe said he was not unhappy with that decision.

"We're happy and it was in the realms of our expectations so we're very comfortable with the judgement for sure," he said.

"We don't have to worry about Mr Cowan, he's locked up probably for the rest of his life and truly, we hope it is the entirety of his life."

As for his plans for the night after a truly momentous day in the decade long fight for justice for his son.

"I'm going to have dinner by myself and watch TV, there wont be any celebrations," he told reporters outside court.

"I'll be talking with our boys and Denise very shortly but it's not a moment of celebration. Reflection for sure but we hope he (Cowan) does his 20 years plus really tough."

Jarrod Bleijie, the then-attorney-general who appealed Cowan's sentence, was pleased the Court of Appeal has dismissed the appeal by convicted killer.

"I am however disappointed that the Court of Appeal did not extend his non-parole jail period," he said in a statement

"In order to fully protect our children, it is my view that serial child sex offenders like Cowan should never be released from prison.

"My thoughts and prayers are with the Morcombe family. They are an inspiration to all Australians."

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