Gunnedah koala park estimate completion date now December 2021

The date change was stated in the quarterly project progress report in the business papers for Wednesday's ordinary council meeting.

This is because the project's concept plan is still in the works and the development application (DA) process is still to come.

Gunnedah Shire Council director corporate and community services Colin Formann said it was also due to the lengthy time-frame after the initial application was lodged.

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"There's been a long period of time between the application being assessed and the council being awarded the funds, so it's not unexpected that the date be revised," Mr Formann said.

"The current schedule is to have the concept plan into the council in March and the DA will be lodged after that, so around April."

Mr Formann said at this stage the dates were still estimates, but after the DA was approved "dates that are solid" would be decided upon.

He said that overall the project was progressing well.

"The concept design is coming together and we're looking forward to that getting out to the public for them to see how the park is starting to take shape," Mr Formann said.

The council received $6.48 million in state government funds for the project in June 2018 through the Regional Communities Development Fund.

The park will be run by the CaPTA Group, and will be located next to Balcary Park on the Oxley Highway.