Queensland Environment and Science approved the black-throated finch's management plan with conditions.

This included commitments by Adani to:

• Establish enhanced understanding of the black-throated finch in the project area, including undertaking appropriate population studies;
• Establish appropriate monitoring protocols that will allow for an analysis of the black-throated finch population in the project area over time, and;
• Manage the Ten Mile Bore area and surrounds in a manner that protects the black-throated finch, including a commitment to a low-grazing regime in that area.

The Department of Environment and Science released a statement in which it said it was satisfied that Adani would engage "appropriately qualified ecologists" to undertake the company’s survey and monitoring work in relation to the finch.

Adani Australia chief executive Lucas Dow said the company had set aside 33,000 hectares to protect the species.

He said the company had made changes to its most recent plan to satisfy the government.

“Changing the grazing density, adjusting some of the population density methodologies and also some of the research plans,” he said.

Mr Dow would not give an estimate of the black-throated finch population in the mine site.

“There will be population surveys as part of the plan, but certainly it does not involve having every finch counted.”

He said the plan identified sources of seed and water required by the finch.

“We will have activities that ensure that there are water sources available, the habitat is there, the right sort of seed,” he said.

“And obviously fire and feral animal management.”

The Queensland government's statement acknowledged the bird's status as endangered.

"The Carmichael mine site represents Australia’s most significant population of the Black-throated finch (southern subspecies). The bird is listed as endangered under Queensland’s Nature Conservation Act 1992 and the Federal Government’s Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999."

Conservation groups are questioning the approval of Adani’s plans to protect the finch.

A spokesman for Mackay Conservation Group, Michael Kane, estimated there were about 900 to 1000 black-throated finches in the Carmichael mine site area and about 500 closer to Townsville.

“They used to be widely dispersed across Queensland at one time,” Mr Kane said.

“But now about 80 per cent of their habitat has been cleared.”

Speaking in Bundaberg at a zucchini farm on Friday morning - and before hearing of the decision - Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the progress of the mine depended on its obtaining environmental approvals.

"We, of course, support any project that delivers jobs and meets the environmental standards," Ms Palaszczuk said.

She said she had last week asked Queensland's Coordinator-General to obtain firm dates for the Carmichael Mine project.

"The Coordinator-General is in a position now to make sure those timelines are met," she said.

Adani now requires approval for its plan to restrict the impact of its mine on ancient artesian borewater springs - the Doongmabulla Springs - to below 20 centimetres to protect several endangered vegetation species which rely on the flow of artesian water (groundwater).

Adani must also reach agreement with the Queensland Treasury on its coal royalty payments by the "end of June".