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

Amelia Vanderhorst, 19 years old, participated remotely at the local court in the state of South Australia on that day, facing with one count of property damage.

Officials commented at the time of the September incident, the local council explained that surveillance video captured a person placing fake eyes on the artwork, which residents have nicknamed the “Cast in Blue”.

Ms Vanderhorst did not enter a plea and told the court she was ill, according to media sources, with the judge recommending her to secure a legal representative before her next court date in the final month of the year.

The following day the alleged incident, the local mayor said that repairs to the much-loved community sculpture would be costly as the adhesive eyes were impossible to be detached without damaging the art piece.

“This intentional vandalism to a valued community art is inappropriate and disrespectful,” City of Mount Gambier mayor said in September. “It is not harmless fun, it is costly - it is also frustrating to those members of our community who have welcomed the Blue Blob.”

The mayor said the local government would pursue the “substantial” repair costs from those accountable for the damage.

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

Priced at A$136,000 (eighty-nine thousand US dollars; £68,000), the sculpture represents a legendary giant animal, with the creators influenced by an ancient anteater-like marsupial discovered in local caves that was “massive, lumbering and fascinating”.