On the surface, Mr Walker welcomed visitors to the demolition of old Sibelco mining huts on Adams Beach where a new, $3.35 million cultural centre would be built facing the waters of Moreton Bay.

But on a far deeper level, it was the beginning of the transition of North Stradbroke Island back to Minjerribah, the island's original identity. A World Heritage Listing application and a possible name change are both pending.

The demolition will be completed over the next few weeks and construction of the Minjerribah Cultural Centre, designed by Cox Architecture, will begin at Adams Beach early next year.

A boardwalk will be built around the curved beach from Dunwich Harbour to Adams Beach, where glamping tents will be added, similar to Adder Rock camp ground on the ocean side of the island.

The Minjerribah Cultural Centre should be completed by 2020.  It is the second tangible sign of the Queensland government's $29.75 million economic transition strategy for 23 projects to slowly lead the island away from the $50 million annual revenue it receives from sand mining.

Mr Walker is the grandson of influential Indigenous poet Kath Walker, who took the name Oodgeroo Noonuccal in 1988 to reflect her belonging to North Stradbroke Island's Noonuccal clan.

Before she died, Oodgeroo spoke of a cultural and educational centre at Dunwich near Adams Beach.

Today, that is happening.

This month, Dunwich's old mining huts come down and the new walls of the Minjerribah Cultural Centre will start to go up.

One of Oodgeroo's poems speaks of "the glad tomorrow" and it is the title of a five-year tourism strategy for Minjerribah launched on Tuesday.

The report shows that it is mostly locals (93.2 per cent of the 400,000 annual tourists) who visit the island. Most of these (76.9 per cent) come from Brisbane and Redlands.

But international tourism (6.8 per cent) is beginning to grow. Western Europe (1.7 per cent), USA (1.2 per cent), New Zealand (1.1 per cent), the United Kingdom (0.8 per cent) and Canada (0.8 per cent) provide most international tourists.

Mr Walker said his grandmother would be proud of what is happening on North Stradbroke Island as it slowly transitioned to Minjerribah.

"She was a very strong activist and pushed very hard for the rights of our people," he said.

"I think she would be happy to see so many of our people in the community have full-time employment and they are moving forward.

"I think it's is a good positive thing. I think she'd be smiling."

The Quandamooka people, consisting of the Noonuccal, Goenpul and Ngugi tribes, now run the island's camping grounds and are employed as land and sea rangers. There are reports galore into transport, new industries, new-era tourism and accommodation needs all very close to due dates. A master plan for Dunwich has begun.

Quandamooka chairman Cameron Costello said a $400,000 study to identify the actual sites for eco-tourism ventures would not be presented until "first quarter 2019".

Queensland Tourism Development Minister Kate Jones has made some deliberate changes since taking charge of North Stradbroke Island's economic transition in September.

Tourism and Events Queensland chairman Brett Godfrey is playing a closer role in the island's future development.

Several higher-profile public servants involved in the 2018 Commonwealth Games have been seconded to the executive planning team and three meetings have been held with Redland's mayor Karen Williams.

Ms Jones said the new cultural centre would focus on the island's First Nation people.

"Today is a significant milestone in the transition of the North Stradbroke Island economy," she said.

"The cultural centre will showcase First Nations talent and art across the world."

Ms Jones said tourism would create about 150 new jobs in the next five years.

A public meeting would be held next weekend to get ideas and concept designs for the Whale Interpretive Centre, about 800 metres south on the old tennis court site near the disused Point Lookout camp ground.

Mr Costello said the Quandamooka people wanted to create a "global whale research education, training and tourism hub" at Point Lookout with help from universities. No concept has been identified yet.

"We've got a really strong connection with the [humpback] whales and the future for the island is to educate people about their recovery and their journey as a species and our cultural connection to the headland and to that species as well."

Dunwich Secondary College is also to become an Education Queensland training centre for tourism business skills for island residents.