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A young person from the Land Down Under has appeared in court after allegedly vandalizing a sizable blue sculpture of a mythical creature by affixing googly eyes to it.

The 19-year-old, 19 years old, participated remotely at Mount Gambier Magistrates Court in the state of South Australia on Tuesday, charged with one count of property damage.

Officials commented at the moment of the September incident, the municipal authorities explained that surveillance video captured a person putting artificial eyes on the sculpture, which residents have nicknamed the “Cast in Blue”.

Ms Vanderhorst made no plea and informed the court she was ill, as reported by media sources, with the magistrate recommending her to find a legal representative before her next court date in December.

The following day the alleged incident, the city leader stated that repairs to the much-loved community sculpture would be expensive as the adhesive eyes were impossible to be detached without damaging the art piece.

“This wilful damage to a valued community art is inappropriate and disrespectful,” Mayor Lynette Martin said in September. “It is not innocent amusement, it is pricey - it is also frustrating to those people of our society who have welcomed the Blue Blob.”

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

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

Priced at A$136,000 ($89,000; £68,000), the sculpture represents a mythical megafauna, with the sculpture’s designers inspired by an prehistoric marsupial ant-eater found in nearby caverns that was “massive, lumbering and fascinating”.