Eighty mourners were granted an exemption by the state's top doctor to attend a funeral on Thursday for a "significant" First Nation elder who died in central Queensland.

The service was given the green light by Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young, despite strict rules dictating only 10 people were permitted to attend a funeral.

The funeral was held for a "very significant elder" from central Queensland. Credit:Ben Plant

Dr Young said the funeral, scheduled for Thursday morning, was held outside, with some mourners asked to watch on from their cars to reduce the risk of a potential spread of the coronavirus.

“This is a very significant elder for that community, who has died, and normally they would expect many, many hundreds - if not thousands - of people to attend,” she said.