Rupert Murdoch buys extraordinary $280million, 139,000 hectare American ranch from the Koch family

Rupert Murdoch has landed one of the most extraordinary deals of his epic career by spending a staggering $280million to snap up a picturesque American ranch that was once home to wild west cowboys.

The media giant, 90, and wife Jerry Hall, 65, bought the 340,000-acre Beaverhead cattle ranch in Montana from the billionaire Koch family, which had owned the property for 70 years. 

The ranch, located near Yellowstone National Park, is one of the largest in the state, and has a nearly 28-mile long private trout fishing river and is populated by elk, antelope and mule deer.

Murdoch, now 90 years old, is believed to be worth around $30billion and has long been friendly with the Koch family. He and Hall now plan to spend a lot of time on the ranch the Wall Street Journal reports, after dividing up much of his business empire and selling 21st Century Fox to Disney for $71 billion in 2019.

The couple, married in 2016, have been looking to buy a ranch for about a year, to expand their LA properties.

‘This is a profound responsibility,’ Murdoch told the Wall Street Journal.

‘We feel privileged to assume ownership of this beautiful land and look forward to continually enhancing both the commercial cattle business and the conservation assets across the ranch.’ 

Media mogul Rupert Murdoch bought the 34,000-acre Matador Ranch (pictured), for $280 million

The ranch is located near Yellowstone National Park on a 50-mile long property in Montana

The ranch is located near Yellowstone National Park on a 50-mile long property in Montana

The Matador Cattle Company ranch was once home to some wild west cowboys in Montana

The Matador Cattle Company ranch was once home to some wild west cowboys in Montana

The property is home to elk, antelope and mule deer, and houses a number of horses

The property is home to elk, antelope and mule deer, and houses a number of horses

Murdoch's deal to buy Beaverhead ranch (pictured) is the biggest in Montana history. It was first owned by two butchers who were eventually inducted into the state's Cowboy Hall of Fame

Murdoch’s deal to buy Beaverhead ranch (pictured) is the biggest in Montana history. It was first owned by two butchers who were eventually inducted into the state’s Cowboy Hall of Fame 

The media giant and wife Jerry Hall (pictured together), bought the 139,000-hectare Montana property from the billionaire Koch family, whom they have been friends with for years

The media giant and wife Jerry Hall (pictured together), bought the 139,000-hectare Montana property from the billionaire Koch family, whom they have been friends with for years

The sprawling property is a working cattle ranch that is home to 15 employee families.

Of the property’s 340,000 acres, 113,000 are deeded and about 226,000 are leased for grazing rights. It spans 50 miles from north to south, crossing two separate Montana counties, and is home to about 4,000 elk, 800 antelope and 1,500 mule deer.

The property also includes 25 workers’ homes and according to the ranch’s website, was home to a pair of cowboys in the 1880s, whose families decided to sell the property to the wealthy Koch clan.

The billionaire family are industrialists known widely for their financial backing of conservative politicians in the US Republican party.

They bought it from the families of the original owners, Philip Poindexter and William Orr, who settled there in 1865 and were both Democrats.

The pair were inducted into the Montana Cowboy Hall of Fame in 2013.

They started out as butchers in mining towns and were the first cowboys to breed cattle and sheep in Montana. 

The 139,000 hectare ranch has a 27-mile long private trout fishing river running through it

The 139,000 hectare ranch has a 27-mile long private trout fishing river running through it

A view from outside the historic ranch, located near Yellowstone National Park

A view from outside the historic ranch, located near Yellowstone National Park

The ranch dates back to the 1800s, when it was purchased by Philip Poindexter and William Orr, who settled there in 1865

The ranch dates back to the 1800s, when it was purchased by Philip Poindexter and William Orr, who settled there in 1865

The property has since become the first ranch in the United States to receive Wildlife at Work certification from the Wildlife Habitat Council for outstanding natural resource management programs

The property has since become the first ranch in the United States to receive Wildlife at Work certification from the Wildlife Habitat Council for outstanding natural resource management programs

A couple of horses are pictured in one of the stables on the wide-open Montana ranch

A couple of horses are pictured in one of the stables on the wide-open Montana ranch

A 2007 award given to Beaverhead noted the historic buildings had been preserved, along with evidence of cowboy life there

A 2007 award given to Beaverhead noted the historic buildings had been preserved, along with evidence of cowboy life there

The ranch is 'home to nearly 7,000 cow/calf pairs of a variety of breeds, along with a large variety of wildlife including wild game, land and water fowl, large and small mammals, fish and plant life'

The ranch is ‘home to nearly 7,000 cow/calf pairs of a variety of breeds, along with a large variety of wildlife including wild game, land and water fowl, large and small mammals, fish and plant life’

Over the years, Beaverhead has won several environmental and preservation commendations.

In 2002 it became the first ranch in the United States to receive Wildlife at Work certification from the Wildlife Habitat Council for outstanding natural resource management programs. 

And a 2007 award given to Beaverhead noted the historic buildings had been preserved, along with evidence of cowboy life there. 

‘Interior walls that had to be replaced were kept, including one with signatures of cowboys dating back to the 1880s,’ Matador Cattle Company said.

The ranch is now a working ranch and is home to 15 employee families

The ranch is now a working ranch and is home to 15 employee families

Murdoch, now 90 years old (pictured second from right), is believed to be worth around $30billion and has long been friendly with the Koch family. David H. Koch is pictured at right

Murdoch, now 90 years old (pictured second from right), is believed to be worth around $30billion and has long been friendly with the Koch family. David H. Koch is pictured at right

But the sprawling ranch is just one of several Western properties Koch Industries has sold off in recent months.

In March, the Journal reports, Koch Industries sold Spring Creek Ranch, a roughly 11,000-acre ranch in Kansas, according to listing agent John Wilden of Hall and Hall. He would not disclose the sale price, but it was listed for about $23.2 million last year.

Matador Ranch, meanwhile, was listed several months ago for $124.45 million, nd over the past few months, roughly 100,000 acres of noncontiguous land comprising the ranch has been sold off in chunks to different buyers, according to Sam Middleton of Chas S. Middleton and Son.

He said the sales prices have ranged from $900 to $1,000 per acre, and roughly 27,000 acres remain – priced at $875 per acre, or $23.625 million.

‘Hopefully we’ll have it sold in the next 35 to 40 days,’ he told the Journal, noting: ‘A lot of people are waiting to get out in the country’ and ‘there’s been a lot of demand for rural real estate.’