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A young person from the Land Down Under has appeared in court after reportedly defacing a sizable blue sculpture of a legendary being by applying googly eyes to it.

Amelia Vanderhorst, aged 19, 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 moment of the September incident, the local council explained that CCTV footage captured a individual putting artificial eyes on the artwork, which residents have dubbed the “Cast in Blue”.

The accused made no plea and told the judge she was unwell, as reported by media sources, with the magistrate recommending her to find a lawyer before her next court date in the final month of the year.

The following day the reported event, the city leader said that restoration to the popular community sculpture would be costly as the adhesive eyes could not be removed without damaging the art piece.

“This wilful damage to a cherished community art is unacceptable and disrespectful,” City of Mount Gambier mayor said in mid-September. “It is not harmless fun, it is costly - it is also disappointing to those people of our society who have embraced the Blue Blob.”

She said the council would pursue the “substantial” repair costs from those accountable for the vandalism.

When the sculpture was initially suggested, it received varied responses from the area residents due to its price tag and appearance.

Costing 136,000 Australian dollars ($89,000; £68,000), the artwork depicts a mythical megafauna, with the sculpture’s designers influenced by an prehistoric anteater-like marsupial found in nearby caverns that was “huge, slow-moving, and intriguing”.