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A teenager from the Land Down Under has faced legal proceedings after reportedly vandalizing a large art piece of a mythical creature by affixing googly eyes to it.

The 19-year-old, aged 19, appeared remotely at the local court in the state of South Australia on that day, facing with one count of property damage.

Officials commented at the moment of the September incident, the municipal authorities explained that surveillance video showed a individual placing artificial eyes on the artwork, which locals have nicknamed the “Cast in Blue”.

Ms Vanderhorst did not enter a plea and told the court she was unwell, according to news outlets, with the judge recommending her to find a legal representative before her next court date in December.

A day after the alleged incident, the local mayor said that repairs to the much-loved community sculpture would be costly as the stickers could not be detached without harming the sculpture.

“This intentional vandalism to a valued public artwork is unacceptable and disrespectful,” City of Mount Gambier mayor remarked in September. “It is not innocent amusement, it is costly - it is also disappointing to those people of our community who have welcomed the Blue Blob.”

The mayor said the local government would seek the “significant” repair costs from those accountable for the damage.

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

Costing 136,000 Australian dollars (eighty-nine thousand US dollars; £68,000), the artwork depicts a mythical megafauna, with the creators influenced by an ancient marsupial ant-eater found in nearby caverns that was “massive, lumbering and fascinating”.