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

Amelia Vanderhorst, 19 years old, appeared via phone at the local court in the state of South Australia on Tuesday, facing with a single charge of damaging property.

In a statement at the time of the recent event, the local council explained that surveillance video captured a individual placing fake eyes on the sculpture, which locals have nicknamed the “Cast in Blue”.

Ms Vanderhorst did not enter a plea and informed the court she was unwell, as reported by news outlets, with the judge recommending her to find a lawyer before her next court date in December.

The following day the reported event, the city leader said that restoration to the much-loved community sculpture would be expensive as the adhesive eyes were impossible to be removed without harming the sculpture.

“This wilful damage to a valued public artwork is inappropriate and disrespectful,” Mayor Lynette Martin said in September. “It is not innocent amusement, it is pricey - it is also disappointing to those people of our community who have welcomed the Blue Blob.”

She said the council would pursue the “substantial” restoration expenses from those accountable for the vandalism.

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

Costing A$136,000 ($89,000; sixty-eight thousand pounds), the artwork depicts a mythical megafauna, with the creators influenced by an ancient anteater-like marsupial discovered in local caves that was “massive, lumbering and fascinating”.