A 20-year-old woman from Mount Gambier, South Australia, has been convicted after gluing large googly eyes onto a costly public artwork while under the influence of alcohol and MDMA.
Amelia Vanderhorst pleaded guilty on March 24, 2026, in Mount Gambier Magistrates Court to a marking graffiti charge. The original property damage charge was amended as part of the resolution. Magistrate Kylie Schulz ordered her to pay A$2,000 (approximately $1,400 USD) in compensation to the Mount Gambier City Council and to complete 60 hours of community service.
The incident took place on the night of September 13, 2025. Vanderhorst, then 19, had consumed about three liters of vodka and was also under the influence of MDMA. She affixed oversized googly eyes to the glossy surface of Cast in Blue, a large abstract sculpture that had been installed in the city center just two months earlier in July 2025. She documented the act on video and posted it to social media, where it quickly went viral. In the clip, she can be heard commenting on the newly “improved” piece, which locals had already nicknamed the “Blue Blob.”
According to her lawyer, Michael Hill, Vanderhorst had consumed around three liters of vodka and was under the influence of MDMA at the time. She told the court she only wanted to make the abstract piece “look funny” and give it a more playful, creature-like vibe. Hill said his client now deeply regrets the act, describing it as “one of the stupidest things” she has ever done.
The sculpture, officially titled Cast in Blue, cost the council A$136,000 (roughly $88,000–95,000 USD at the time of installation). The bright blue, glossy piece was designed as a mythical megafauna inspired by an ancient marsupial anteater-like creature discovered in local caves. Positioned near the Cave Garden, it drew immediate controversy, with some residents calling it an eyesore—especially amid council rate increases—and others defending it as public art.
The adhesive used to attach the eyes damaged the sculpture’s delicate glossy paint layers. Council officials said the eyes could not be removed without causing further harm, requiring professional restoration work that reportedly cost nearly A$3,000. Police had initially estimated the damage at under A$2,500. The piece was temporarily covered during repairs and has since been restored to its original state.
Mount Gambier Mayor Lynette Martin condemned the vandalism as “wilful damage to a valued public artwork,” calling it inappropriate and disrespectful. Magistrate Schulz remarked that Vanderhorst’s actions had “mocked the sculpture and the artist.”
In court, Magistrate Schulz noted that Vanderhorst’s actions had “mocked the sculpture and the artist.” Hill, however, highlighted his client’s positive steps since the incident. He told the court she has significantly reduced her substance use, remaining clean from MDMA and drinking alcohol only moderately. Vanderhorst also entered a supportive new relationship in January and is focused on stabilizing her life and making better choices moving forward.
Earlier in the legal process, Vanderhorst briefly launched a GoFundMe campaign for legal fees, describing herself as “young and jobless” and noting that many people felt the charge was unfair. In her appeal, she wrote that she “did not mean for the eyes on the blue blob to harm or offend anything or anyone.” She raised about $1,900 before deleting the page and returning all donations in December.
The case drew widespread attention online and in the media due to the lighthearted yet costly nature of the prank on an already polarizing piece of public art.
