Pre-production has already started on the Gold Coast while the Queensland Government's Pacific Film and Television Commission (PFTC) in final negotiations with Walden Media and Twentieth Century Fox.

Executive Manager of Locations and International Production for PFTC, Jess Conoplia, confirmed pre-production was underway, and said filming was expected to start in July.

"We're looking at the first six months of the next financial year, so July to December for the filming, and a release date around the end of 2010," she said.

"We've got 18 months to talk about the possibility of an Australian premiere locally.

"Local industries can definitely expect a boost from the production, anything from materials and construction, to hospitality, tourism or even security guards, there's no end to the scope of local resources that could be needed."

Ms Conoplia said a range of factors came into play to secure the Redlands, Whitsundays and Gold Coast as preferred location.

"Mexico was very seriously considered because of their horizontal tank facility, which was built for Titanic, but a few media issues of concern with drug cartels and now the swine flu made it difficult and when our Australian dollar started to drop we were back in the running," she said.

"Peripheral issues as simple as having an English-speaking location also came into play later on.

"Big companies like Walden and Fox are very responsible so we're not expecting environmental consideration to be a problem."

Disney Pictures first started scouting locations in the Redlands in 2007, visiting Cleveland Point and Wellington Point as well as approaching Redland City Council for in-principle support.

The report presented to council in December 2007 indicated a 60m long by 50m wide pier would have to be constructed, as well as a 20m wide by 40m ramp and the 'Dawn Treader' set itself, which would be a 40m vessel, attached to the pier.