But the group of between 10 and 15 residents, under the banner Our Keppel Our Future, have not come to protest the proposal for a casino on Great Keppel Island.

In fact, they are all for it.

Tower Holdings was one of 12 groups vying for a casino licence last year, but insisted at the time its $2 billion Great Keppel Island resort redevelopment off the coast of Yeppoon would be built regardless.

The Sydney-based company has since indicated the project could not be financed without the promise of the mini-casino's revenue stream.

Our Keppel Our Future group member Vanessa Rauluni, who arrived in Brisbane on Monday, said Tower Holdings' proposal for a casino on the island had "united friends and foes" in the community.

The group was vocal and visible at last month's community cabinet meeting in Rockhampton and their campaign has had the support of the local newspaper, The Morning Bulletin.

"It's very easy for our current government to create what we call a boutique casino license," Mrs Rauluni said.

"They are shovel-ready to go.

"This will mean jobs in our region within 12 months, and lots of jobs too.

"It would have a massive impact on our unemployment.

"I'm not pro-casinos, I'm really not and by-and-large neither is the community, but we're willing to live with this compromise of a 35-table boutique gaming license, a room for in-house guests only on an island."

Mrs Rauluni said negative social consequences of a casino would not be felt in the wider Rockhampton community, as it would be located off-shore and would cater to tourists rather than locals.

"It's not going to turn people into degenerate gamblers. It's a one-off and something that's really necessary for the Asian market," she said.

"The mining industry had plateaued, farmers are doing it tough. What are our kids going to do if we keep them in regional Queensland?

"Tourism is very important to us and we need to look at the international tourism market."

Tower Holdings' development applications for its Great Keppel Island resort have been approved, but chief executive Terry Agnew said the casino licence was needed to attract international financing.

"If the government was to provide a boutique gaming license, it would kick-start the project and construction would commence within six months of obtaining the licence, he said.

"Tower Holdings would also be prepared to accept a condition that the licence could be revoked if construction had not commenced within this time.

"If no licence is granted, the project could be at risk of not proceeding."

But the state government did not offer Tower Holdings much hope.

State Development Minister Anthony Lynham said a casino licence would not be granted unless one of the two regional licencees, approved under the Newman government, decided against running a casino.

The decision not to allow the cruise ship terminal on the Gold Coast's Wavebreak Island – a development that would have included a casino – could see one of those licences once again put to market.

"The government strongly supports the redevelopment of Great Keppel Island and encourages the project proponents to start their project," Dr Lynham said.

"There is currently no casino licence available.

"However, if one of the current regional integrated resort developers no longer requires a casino licence, a new competitive process may be conducted.

"The Great Keppel Resort proponents would then be free to enter a bid.

"In the meantime, I'd encourage them to use the approvals they already have, and their strong local support, to move ahead."

Gold Coast mayor Tom Tate has already lobbied for that licence to remain in his city and has put forward the old Southport Hospital site as a possible location.

Tower's proposal is understood to have the support of Keppel MP Brittany Lauga, but the first-term Labor MP did not respond to Fairfax Media's request for comment.

Both Tower Holdings and the Our Keppel Our Future group said they were not affiliated with each other.