Born in Edinburgh, Scotland, the eldest son of John Darling Sr., on 24 January 1852. He emigrated to South Australia with his parents and brother, arriving in Adelaide early in 1855. He was educated at the Pulteney Street School and at the age of 14 started work in his father's business. In 1872 he was brought into partnership in his father's business, renamed John Darling and Son. His father retired in October 1897, leaving him in sole control. Under his control, the company purchased the Eclipse flour mills, Port Adelaide, and the goodwill of J. Dunn and Co. in ???. He founded a hay-compressing business in Gawler, near the railway station. He became a director of Broken Hill Proprietary Co. Ltd. in 1892 and was chairman of directors from 1907 to 1914. He was on the local directorates of several insurance and mining companies with head offices in London, a director of the National Mutual Assurance Society, Victoria and the Port Adelaide Dock Company. He was an active member of the Chamber of Commerce, the Shipowners' Association, and the South Australian Employers' Union.
He married Jessie Dowie, cousin of the evangelist John Alexander Dowie and aunt of the sculptor John Dowie on 14 October 1875 and lived at "Lynton", Kent Tce. Norwood. Their children included:
Jessie Isabel Darling
Alexander John Darling
Elsie Darling
Florence Darling married F. W. Young, M.P. for Stanley, later Agent-General for South Australia.
Harold Gordon Darling became head of John Darling and Son and chairman of BHP.
Gertrude "Gertie" Darling
Grace Darling
Leonard Darling lived in UK from 1911 and served in World War I. His son L Gordon Darling served in World War II, reaching the rank of Captain, became a director of Broken Hill Proprietary in 1953 and chairman of John Darling Pty Ltd. in 1963. He was a founding patron of the National Portrait Gallery.
Norman Darling became director of John Darling Pty Ltd in 1953.
He died in a Melbourne private hospital on 27 March 1914. He had been in that city a few days to chair a meeting of Broken Hill Proprietary, when he took ill. His estate was valued at £1,694,500. A brother, James Darling married Jessie's sister Elizabeth "Bessie" Dowie on 26 October 1882; had son Arthur Garfield Darling in 1883, daughter Ruth Darling in 1885. He purchased Glenaroua Station in Victoria from Thomas Singleton in 1901, then moved to Carnamah, Western Australia and became the largest landowner in the region, passed to son Arthur. Later lived at 41 Riversdale Road, Hawthorn, Victoria.
