The plan for what to do with tonnes of dredge spoil from the Abbot Point port expansion has changed, and gained the backing of one of the state’s least environmentally-friendly groups.

The Queensland Resources Council (QRC) has welcomed the Queensland Government’s latest plan, to dispose of dredge material on state-owned land instead of waters near the Great Barrier Reef.

The Government also says it will make the port's developers use the spoil in the expansion works, if its plan passes federal approval.

QRC spokesperson Michael Roche says it means the industry gets what it wants, without further disturbance form activists.

“We congratulate the Queensland Government for obviously the hard work they've been doing behind the scenes to make this option a viable option,” he said.

“As the Premier has said, the Government's preference, in fact I think everyone’s preference, is on-land disposal but we can’t guarantee that in every case there will be a viable on-land solution.”

Deputy Premier Jeff Seeney has denied claims that the Government will have to purchase the sediment in order for the plan to work.

Seeney told Parliament that deals “will be negotiated on a case-by-case basis but it is most unlikely that we would ever pay directly for the dredge material,” he said.

The Marine Conservation Society has held back on any praise for the Government.

“The recent outlook report from the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority was very clear - we need to do everything we can to protect the Great Barrier Reef,” spokesperson Felicity Wishart said.

“So stopping dumping in the world heritage waters and we need a legislative ban for that.

“Abbot Point is only the first step along that way. We also need to be minimising dredging.”