State Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk made the announcment following a meeting with the Indian mining company's chairman, Gautam Adani, in the north Queensland city today.
The premier says the $22-billion project will generate around 10,000 jobs, providing a much-needed boost to the local economy following the closure of Queensland Nickel earlier this year.
"I have got an ironclad guarantee from Mr Adani that there will be no 457 visas as part of the workforce for this major project," Ms Palaszczuk says.
The announcement comes amidst mounting speculation the federal government will contribute $1 billion towards the project's rail link.
Earlier today, Indigenous activists and environmentalists gathered to send a message to visiting Adani representatives.
"Shame on you," says Juru Traditional Owner Carol Prior, who claims the project will damage ancient rock art and a sacred ochre ground near Abbott Point.
You bring shame on yourself, you bring shame on your people, by destroying a race of people here in Australia, by taking away their sacred sites and their spiritual connection to the land from which we’ve come.
The project cleared its final state and federal approvals this week.
Adani CEO Jeyakumar Janakaraj says the company plans to start development in mid-2017.
