An entire town inspired by America's Wild West is nestled in a remote New Zealand valley — and it just hit the market for $7.5 million. Take a look inside.
Melissa Wiley
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- A 900-acre ranch in a remote New Zealand Valley is home to a replica Wyoming frontier town.
- Inspired by the American West of the 1860s, the town doubles as a boutique hotel.
- The ranch is currently listed for sale at $7.5 million by New Zealand Sotheby's International Realty.
- Take a look inside Mellonsfolly Ranch, which comes with a double-door saloon, robbable bank, and cowboy costume closet.
A replica Wyoming frontier town in a remote New Zealand Valley is selling for $7.5 million American dollars.
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Ben Hawan of New Zealand Sotheby's International Realty holds the listing.
Known as Mellonsfolly Ranch, it is situated on 900 acres in the Ruatiti Valley of New Zealand's North Island, about seven hours south of Auckland by car.
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The ranch was built in 2006 and consists of a main residence, two rental houses, and 10 buildings inspired by the American West of the 1860s.
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"Building a Western town in such an isolated place was nothing but 'utter folly,' hence the name," the original owner told True West Magazine in 2007.
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The 10 period buildings can be rented out for weddings, conferences, and small-group getaways.
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The town includes a fully licensed saloon with swinging wood doors ...
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... and a courthouse that doubles as a movie theater.
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... and a bank where guests can stage hold-ups.
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Inside, wood-burning stoves and wood paneling nod to a bygone era.
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Rocking chairs outside storefronts hearken back to the days of watching visitors ride in on horseback.
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Victorian decor fills Miss Nancy Ann's Hotel Parlor & Library.
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Each of its rooms is themed and named after a historical figure from the Old West.
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Due to the pandemic, the ranch is no longer accepting bookings for 2020. But in the past, it has offered buyouts starting at $7,900 per night for up to 22 guests.
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The 'Rent the Ranch' package includes complimentary gun slinging, canon firing, horseback rides, and access to cowboy and cowgirl getups.
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Outside of the town, guests can explore the property's network of trails on foot or horseback.
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Mellonsfolly is "deliberately remote" and has no cell or radio service, according to the ranch's reservations page.
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At its current price tag, well-heeled foreign buyers could make a bid for Mellonsfolly. According to New Zealand law, anyone who invests USD $6.4 million (NZ $10 million) in the country over the course of three years is eligible for an Investor 1 Resident Visa.
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