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A young person from the Land Down Under has appeared in court after reportedly defacing a large art piece of a legendary being by applying plastic eyes to it.

The 19-year-old, 19 years old, participated remotely at Mount Gambier Magistrates Court in the state of South Australia on that day, charged with a single charge of damaging property.

Officials commented at the moment of the recent event, the local council explained that surveillance video captured a person putting artificial eyes on the artwork, which residents have nicknamed the “Cast in Blue”.

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

The following day the reported event, the city leader said that repairs to the much-loved public artwork would be expensive as the adhesive eyes were impossible to be detached without damaging the art piece.

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

The mayor said the council would pursue the “significant” restoration expenses from those accountable for the vandalism.

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

Priced at 136,000 Australian dollars (eighty-nine thousand US dollars; sixty-eight thousand pounds), the sculpture depicts a mythical megafauna, with the sculpture’s designers influenced by an ancient anteater-like marsupial found in local caves that was “massive, lumbering and fascinating”.