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A teenager from the Land Down Under has appeared in court after allegedly defacing a sizable art piece of a mythical creature by affixing googly eyes to it.

The 19-year-old, 19 years old, appeared via phone at the local court in the state of South Australia on that day, charged with one count of damaging property.

Officials commented at the time of the recent event, the local council said that surveillance video showed a individual placing fake eyes on the sculpture, which locals have dubbed the “Blue Blob”.

Ms Vanderhorst made no plea and informed the judge she was unwell, as reported by news outlets, with the judge advising her to find a legal representative before her next court date in the final month of the year.

The following day the alleged incident, the local mayor stated that restoration to the much-loved public artwork would be costly as the adhesive eyes were impossible to be detached without damaging the art piece.

“This intentional vandalism to a cherished public artwork is inappropriate and disrespectful,” City of Mount Gambier mayor said in September. “It is not innocent amusement, it is costly - it is also disappointing to those people of our society who have embraced Cast in Blue.”

The mayor added the local government would pursue the “significant” repair costs from those accountable for the vandalism.

At the time the sculpture was first proposed, it drew varied responses from the area residents due to its price tag and design.

Costing 136,000 Australian dollars (eighty-nine thousand US dollars; £68,000), the artwork represents a mythical megafauna, with the creators inspired by an ancient marsupial ant-eater discovered in local caves that was “massive, lumbering and fascinating”.