Major development within the Sunshine State does not appear on satellite imagery used by the tech behemoth's popular Google Maps website, prompting Deputy Premier Paul Lucas to write to the company's chairman and CEO Eric Schmidt with a please explain.

Mr Lucas, who is also the Minister for Infrastructure, said the maps failed to depict hundreds of millions of dollars worth of road, water and building projects paid for by the government.

He has now called on the US-based company to update the pictures, some of which he claims are up to three years old.

"Google is often associated with cutting-edge internet services, but when it comes to growth in Queensland, they're behind the times," Mr Lucas said.

"If you were looking for the Gold Coast Desalination Plant, you would think the site remains an empty paddock, but the project is almost 75 per cent complete.

"The Gold Coast Desalination Plant is a key part of Queensland's $9 billion water grid to drought-proof the south-east.

"If you believe your eyes when you look at the site, you'd think our big infrastructure projects - worth hundreds of millions or even billions of dollars - had simply fallen off the face of the earth."

The Gateway Bridge, Tugun Bypass and the Townsville Ring Road are among other big ticket projects not to feature on some Google maps, as well as Brisbane's celebrated Gallery of Modern Art, which opened in 2006.

"I think people would accept satellite photos that are six months or so behind - especially given it is a free service - but not satellite photos that are two years or more old.

"With around 70,000 people moving to Queensland from interstate and overseas last year, many of them would be using satellite services like Google Maps to check out potential new neighbourhoods to live in."

A Google spokesman said the company "frequently" updated its satellite imagery as soon as it became available from third party providers.

"We're thrilled that the Minister is an avid Google Maps fan and will write back to him to thank him for his letter," the spokesman said.

"We've already announced that later in 2008, we will be launching the new Street View feature for Google Maps in Australia, which will show street-level images of large parts of Queensland."

"This imagery will be incredibly useful for Queensland homehunters and tenants, tourists to the state, local businesses and also for those interested in checking out the latest infrastructure."