At home with. . . Ben Walker
Perched in Blue Mountain Heights with a skyline full of cacti and sunshine, Ben Walker’s home, ‘Saguaro’, feels like a slice of Palm Springs transplanted into regional Queensland. Designed from the ground up and shaped by years of photographing houses, it’s a space where clean lines, desert landscaping and thoughtful details come together in a way that feels effortlessly his.
Published 06 December 2025
Photography: CoastPark Creative
Q. CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOURSELF?
I’m a real estate and commercial photographer, born and raised in Toowoomba. I love golf, travelling, good coffee and finding new breakfast spots around town. My partner Adriana and I have two dogs, Chiino the snag and Rigga the staffie, who are basically our kids. Life is pretty much work, dogs, coffee, golf, repeat.
Q. WHAT DOES AN AVERAGE DAY LOOK LIKE FOR YOU?
I am up at 4.30 or 5am and head straight for the Coffee. Then it is either the gym or straight into edits and emails before heading out to shoot. Most days are on the road, then back home in the afternoon for more editing or admin. Nights are either more work or unwinding with Adriana and the dogs. Pretty simple, but it works.
Q. WHY PALM SPRINGS? IT'S NOT THE FIRST THING PEOPLE ASSOCIATE WITH TOOWOOMBA.
I have always loved the style, especially the low profiles, the straight lines and the sculptural gardens. And it actually works here better than people expect. The climate suits it, the light suits it and the escarpment backdrop makes it feel even more dramatic. Plus, I did not want to build something that blended in. I wanted people to drive past and think, “What is that?” in a good way.
Q. AFTER PHOTOGRAPHING MORE THAN 15,000 HOMES WHAT WERE YOU LOOKING FOR WHEN IT CAME TO YOUR OWN?
Honestly, something different. When you have seen that many houses, you start noticing the same ideas on repeat. I had been keeping notes in my phone of all the clever layouts and features I liked over the years, and when we finally found the right block with the right view, I pulled them all together. Saguaro was designed from scratch to be a one-of-a-kind home. Clean, simple, intentional and nothing I had photographed before.
Q. THE CACTUS GARDEN HAS BECOME SOMETHING OF AN ONLINE CELEBRITY. CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT IT?
That is probably the thing I am most proud of. If you google “cactus garden Australia”, our house comes up first, which still blows my mind. Pinterest too. It just keeps circulating. I designed the whole garden myself and planted almost everything by hand. We used a crane for the big palms and dragon trees, but the rest was hours of digging holes. Totally worth it. The garden gives the house its personality. People talk about it before they even get inside, and the fact that the garden inspires people online and all over Australia is a pretty cool bonus.
Q. AND THE NAME, SAGUARO?
The Saguaro cactus is the classic three-armed one you see in old Westerns. They grow incredibly slowly. We have four of them, about 30 years old, and they are still tiny. I liked the idea of naming the house after something iconic but understated. It suits the place.
Q. WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVOURITE FEATURES OF THE HOME?
The pool is definitely high on the list. Not many homes in Toowoomba have a pool with an uninterrupted escarpment view. Because we lifted the pool out of the ground, the pool wall works as the pool fence, so nothing blocks the outlook. When you are sitting there, it is all sky and landscape.
As far as a favourite room? Anything that looks out over the view. Some mornings the fog settles below us and it feels like you are sitting above the clouds. Those moments never get old.
Q. WHAT MATERIALS OR FINISHES WERE MOST IMPORTANT TO YOU?
We wanted materials that looked clean and stayed visually calm. I love the microcement floors and ensuite. Microcement is still pretty rare here, mostly because it is three times the cost of tiles, but it gives the house this seamless, warm, almost gallery feel. The crazy pave around the alfresco and pool ties everything back to the desert vibe of the garden.
We used warm timber cabinetry for balance, ABI tapware throughout and aluminium battens on the garage door. They look like timber but last a lot better. The exterior is completely rendered. We didn't want the house trying too hard. The gardens were always meant to be the main feature.
The big glass front door and the window straight through to the feature tree were deliberate too. I love that you see through to the view the moment you walk in.
Q. WHAT LESSONS CAN YOU GIVE SOMEONE DESIGNING THEIR OWN HOME?
Keep the design simple. The homes that stay with you are usually the ones that are not overdone. Good light, clean lines and thoughtful landscaping. I did not want unusual angles or gimmicks. I wanted it to feel calm and easy to live in.
Q. AND YOUR IDEAL TOOWOOMBA WEEKEND?
A late afternoon drink somewhere with the right people, relaxing by the pool at home, grabbing an açai bowl from Sage and Butler and playing golf. Twice a week. That one is a must for me. Otherwise, walking the dogs anywhere there is space and sunshine.
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