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

Amelia Vanderhorst, 19 years old, appeared via phone at the local court in the state of South Australia on that day, facing with one count of damaging property.

Officials commented at the moment of the recent event, the municipal authorities explained that surveillance video captured a individual placing fake eyes on the sculpture, which residents have dubbed the “Blue Blob”.

Ms Vanderhorst made no plea and informed the court she was unwell, according to news outlets, with the magistrate advising her to find a lawyer before her upcoming hearing in the final month of the year.

The following day the alleged incident, the local mayor said that restoration to the much-loved public artwork would be costly as the stickers could not be removed without harming the art piece.

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

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

When the artwork was first proposed, it drew varied responses from the area residents due to its cost and appearance.

Costing A$136,000 ($89,000; £68,000), the artwork depicts a mythical megafauna, with the creators influenced by an prehistoric anteater-like marsupial found in local caves that was “massive, lumbering and fascinating”.