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A teenager from the Land Down Under has faced legal proceedings after reportedly defacing a large blue sculpture of a legendary being by affixing plastic eyes to it.

The 19-year-old, 19 years old, appeared remotely at Mount Gambier Magistrates Court in South Australia on Tuesday, facing with a single charge of damaging property.

Officials commented at the moment of the September incident, the municipal authorities said that CCTV footage showed a person putting artificial eyes on the sculpture, which residents have dubbed the “Blue Blob”.

Ms Vanderhorst made no plea and informed the judge she was unwell, as reported by media sources, with the magistrate advising her to secure a legal representative before her next court date in the final month of the year.

The following day the alleged incident, the city leader stated that restoration to the popular community sculpture would be costly as the stickers were impossible to be detached without harming the art piece.

“This wilful damage to a valued public artwork is unacceptable and disrespectful,” City of Mount Gambier mayor said in mid-September. “It is not innocent amusement, it is costly - it is also frustrating to those people of our society who have welcomed Cast in Blue.”

The mayor added the council would seek the “substantial” restoration expenses from those accountable for the vandalism.

When the sculpture was first proposed, it drew mixed reactions from the area residents due to its cost and appearance.

Costing 136,000 Australian dollars ($89,000; £68,000), the artwork represents a legendary giant animal, with the creators inspired by an prehistoric anteater-like marsupial discovered in local caves that was “huge, slow-moving, and intriguing”.