Buster dynasty ends with the sale of ‘Darling Farms’

The cotton property has been sold by the Buster and Cole families for an undisclosed amount to a NSW company.

"The Buster and Cole families of Bourke have reached an agreement with a Moree-based company on the sale of Darling Farms for an undisclosed price," said Darling Farms managing director and Buster family in-law Ian Cole.

The sale includes the "Darling Farms" cotton assets and the neighbouring North Bourke Cotton Gin, which comprises 24ha and a processing capacity of more than 60,000 cotton bales a season.

Mr Cole said the buyer was an "Australian company associated with Australian Food and Fibre Limited," with "extensive interests in cotton farming and other primary production".

Darling Farms was established by the late Jack Buster and Owen Boon, who came to Australia from America in the mid-1960s.

After a brief stint in Wee Waa they moved to Bourke with the purchase of "Darling Farms".

Originally the property was a grazing enterprise but the pair bought water licences to establish irrigation.

The pair became part of Australia's cotton boom before Mr Boon left in the 1980s and Mr Buster bought his share.

Mr Buster's four sons and one daughter also became involved in the property which includes more than 30 houses and even a school, which taught 70 children at its peak.

Mr Buster died in January at 83 years old and the family decided to pursue other farming enterprises.

Mr Cole said the death of the patriarch and the tough season had convinced the family the time was right to sell.

"(Jack's death) probably crystallised a few things for the family," he said.

"Jack had five children and they are all involved in the property in some way.

"During the terrible drought in 2002 and 2003 we collected some debt but we batted away and did really well.

"We tried to sell once before, we actually had an agreement with a potential buyer that fell through and we decided to keep going. That was some time ago."

While pleased to see the sale go through, Mr Cole said there would also be a lot of sadness when the family left for the final time.

"There are certainly mixed emotions about the sale - some of us are very sad and others have accepted it," he said.

"The family won't farm as a group again but some individuals may continue to farm.

"Darling Farms has been in the family for 50 years and most of Jack's children have been running it for 30 years.

"It's unusual for a big group to work so well together but we really did."

"Darling Farms" will be the largest cotton operation to be sold this year with the sale including three adjoining irrigated properties, totalling 14,676ha and storage of 38,000 megalitres of water.

Neighbouring properties "Beemery", "Janbeth" and "Latoka", formerly owned by Clyde Agriculture, were sold to Peter Harris for up to $50 million in April and it is forecast that other major cotton growers in the area may be encouraged to sell.