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

The 19-year-old, 19 years old, appeared via phone at the local court in the state of South Australia on Tuesday, charged with one count of property damage.

Officials commented at the time of the September incident, the local council said that CCTV footage showed a individual putting artificial eyes on the artwork, which locals have nicknamed the “Blue Blob”.

Ms Vanderhorst did not enter a plea and told the court she was unwell, as reported by media sources, with the magistrate recommending her to secure a lawyer before her upcoming hearing in December.

A day after the reported event, the local mayor stated that repairs to the much-loved community sculpture would be costly as the stickers could not be detached without harming the art piece.

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

The mayor added the council would pursue the “significant” restoration expenses from those accountable for the damage.

At the time the sculpture was first proposed, it received mixed reactions from the area residents due to its price tag and appearance.

Costing A$136,000 ($89,000; £68,000), the sculpture depicts a legendary giant animal, with the creators influenced by an ancient anteater-like marsupial found in nearby caverns that was “massive, lumbering and fascinating”.