Shark hopes for Qld island revival

The Great White Shark has appealed for investors to back a billion-dollar redevelopment of a Great Barrier Reef island.

Golfing great Greg Norman is the global ambassador for a $2 billion multi-faceted tourism project on Great Keppel Island, off central Queensland's coast.

The Tower Holdings development includes an 18-hole championship golf course designed by Norman, 700 luxury villas, 350 luxury apartments, a beachfront hotel, a marina, an airstrip and a retail village.

The company also wants to build a casino on the island.

Norman launched a global campaign to lure investors on Tuesday.

"Australia has lost a little of its panache in our international tourism market," he said in Brisbane.

"This project is important for Australia, for our locals and for attracting luxury visitors back to Australia."

Queensland Tourism Industry Council chief executive Daniel Gschwind said there hadn't been a development of this scale in the state for more than 25 years.

The resort island closed in 2008 after 40 years of operation.