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A teenager from the Land Down Under has appeared in court after allegedly defacing a large blue sculpture of a mythical creature by applying googly eyes to it.

The 19-year-old, 19 years old, participated remotely at the local court in the state of South Australia on that day, facing with a single charge of damaging property.

Officials commented at the time of the recent event, the municipal authorities 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 unwell, according to media sources, with the judge advising her to find a lawyer before her next court date in December.

The following day the alleged incident, the local mayor said that restoration to the popular community sculpture would be expensive as the adhesive eyes could not be removed without damaging the art piece.

“This intentional vandalism to a cherished community art is unacceptable and disrespectful,” Mayor Lynette Martin said in mid-September. “It is not harmless fun, it is costly - it is also frustrating to those people of our community who have embraced Cast in Blue.”

She said the council would pursue the “significant” restoration expenses from those accountable for the damage.

When the sculpture was initially suggested, it drew varied responses from the area residents due to its cost and appearance.

Priced at 136,000 Australian dollars ($89,000; £68,000), the artwork depicts a mythical megafauna, with the sculpture’s designers inspired by an prehistoric anteater-like marsupial found in local caves that was “massive, lumbering and fascinating”.