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A teenager from the Land Down Under has appeared in court after allegedly vandalizing a sizable blue sculpture of a legendary being by affixing googly eyes to it.

The 19-year-old, aged 19, participated remotely at the local court in South Australia on that day, charged with a single charge of property damage.

In a statement at the time of the September incident, the local council said that surveillance video captured a person putting artificial eyes on the sculpture, which residents have nicknamed the “Cast in Blue”.

Ms Vanderhorst did not enter a plea and informed the judge she was ill, as reported by media sources, with the judge advising her to find a legal representative before her upcoming hearing in December.

The following day the reported event, the local mayor said that restoration to the much-loved public artwork would be expensive as the adhesive eyes could not be detached without harming the sculpture.

“This wilful damage to a valued community art is inappropriate and disrespectful,” City of Mount Gambier mayor remarked in September. “It is not harmless fun, it is pricey - it is also disappointing to those members of our community who have embraced the Blue Blob.”

The mayor said the council would pursue the “significant” repair costs from those accountable for the damage.

At the time the artwork was initially suggested, it received mixed reactions from the area residents due to its cost and appearance.

Costing 136,000 Australian dollars (eighty-nine thousand US dollars; £68,000), the artwork depicts a legendary giant animal, with the sculpture’s designers inspired by an ancient anteater-like marsupial found in local caves that was “massive, lumbering and fascinating”.