Douglas is one of just five Queensland regions that have had their bid for deamalgamation advanced to the next stage in the process.

Local Government Minister David Crisafulli yesterday announced Douglas, Mareeba, Isis, Noosa, and Livingstone were successful in taking their application forward, while 14 other applications were rejected.

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The Queensland Boundaries Commissioner Col Meng will now consult with Treasury Corporation to examine the proposals further. Mr Meng will then decide whether a referendum will occur, giving local voters the opportunity to decide the fate of the bid to separate from Cairns Regional Council.

The cost of deamalgamation is estimated by Friends Of Douglas Shire to be between $3 million and $4 million, an amount Mr Crisafulli said the State Government would not contribute towards.

Friends Of Douglas Shires' Robert Hanan said the result was a culmination of five years of hard work, but by no means had the battle been won.

"It doesn't reflect in any way on the outcome of a referendum, but it is the first hurdle we had to get over and we cleared in quite clearly," Mr Hanan said.

"One of the great things Council did for us was make our job easier for us over those four years. As soon as people were getting comfortable with the new regime they'd turn around and do something stupid like overnight increase the rates of the school by 200 per cent.

"It's partly their fault, but it still doesn't mitigate the fact that it (amalgamation) shouldn't have been done."

Should the Boundary Commissioner approve of the proposal a referendum will be held in March 2013.