Crocodile farmers in Queensland can now legally hunt and gather crocodile eggs in the wild, and hatch them for luxury goods, after quietly introduced changes to conservation laws.

Key points: Licensed crocodile hunters can now legally gather eggs from wild nests

Licensed crocodile hunters can now legally gather eggs from wild nests State Government says egg hunters will have to monitor local croc numbers

State Government says egg hunters will have to monitor local croc numbers Croc farmer John Lever is the first Queenslander to apply for a licence

Hunters would have to apply for a licence to collect the eggs from nests in the wild, which would then be transported to private farms and hatched for their skins and meat.

The lucrative reptile business was made legal in the Northern Territory in the 1980s, but had always been banned in Queensland until the changes were made without public notification.

Rockhampton crocodile farmer John Lever said he has been forced to travel to the Northern Territory to collect his eggs.

He is one of the first hunters to apply for a licence to gather on the Fitzroy River in central Queensland.

John Lever from Koorana Crocodile Farm says he did not expect to live to see the change. ( ABC News: Rachel McGhee )

"This has been something that we've been praying for a long while," Mr Lever said.

"I never thought I'd see it while I was alive, but however it's been done. Now we can apply to collect eggs from various sites in Queensland."

A Department of Environment and Science (DES) spokesperson said egg hunters had to comply with strict guidelines, including preparing reports about the potential impacts on wild crocodile populations.

Crocodile eggs could be worth up to $20 each. ( Matt Brann: ABC Rural )

The State Government has also imposed a limit of 5,000 eggs for all of Queensland each year, while the Northern Territory has a limit of 100,000 each year.

A new wildlife trade management plan that included croc egg harvesting was submitted to the Federal Government and, after the request was approved, national public consultation occurred in May and June.

The spokesperson said independent experts were engaged to assess the impact egg harvesting would have on crocodile populations, particularly in the western Gulf region.

"Licence holders will be required to monitor crocodile numbers to ensure the harvesting is not having a detrimental impact on the local population," the spokesperson said.

The hatched reptiles will have a range of uses, including for skins to supply luxury leather goods, including boots and handbags.

'Many landowners see crocs as vermin'

Premium crocodile skins fetch about $1,000 per item.

Mr Lever also said the changes would help landholders deal with any negative impacts of having crocodiles on their lands.

"Landowner, graziers — a lot of these guys think crocodiles are vermin because they're not worth anything and they eat their calves or their foals," he said.

"Now they've got an economic incentive to keep crocodiles on their place, so from a conservation aspect it really works."

It is expected the eggs could be worth up to $20 each.

"A female lays about 50 eggs, that's $1,000 right there," Mr Lever said.