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

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

In a statement at the time of the September incident, the municipal authorities explained that CCTV footage showed a individual putting artificial eyes on the artwork, which residents have nicknamed the “Cast in Blue”.

The accused did not enter a plea and informed the judge she was ill, according to news outlets, with the judge recommending her to find a lawyer before her next court date in the final month of the year.

A day after the reported event, the city leader stated that restoration to the popular public artwork would be costly as the adhesive eyes were impossible to be removed without damaging the sculpture.

“This intentional vandalism to a cherished community art is inappropriate and disrespectful,” Mayor Lynette Martin remarked in 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 said the local government would seek the “substantial” repair costs from those responsible for the damage.

When the sculpture was first proposed, it drew varied responses from the local community due to its price tag and appearance.

Costing A$136,000 ($89,000; £68,000), the sculpture represents a legendary giant animal, with the creators inspired by an prehistoric marsupial ant-eater discovered in nearby caverns that was “huge, slow-moving, and intriguing”.