Mount Gambier woman accused of placing googly eyes on sculpture to begin negotiating with prosecution
The Cast in Blue sculpture in Mount Gambier in a photo posted on Amelia Vanderhorst's Facebook page. (Supplied: Facebook/Amelia Vanderhorst)
In short:
Amelia Vanderhorst is accused of attaching googly eyes to the Cast in Blue sculpture in Mount Gambier.
She appeared in court today after setting up a GoFundMe page and engaging a lawyer.
What's next?
She is expected to appear in court again in January.
A 20-year-old woman accused of putting googly eyes on a controversial sculpture in the South Australian city of Mount Gambier may have her case wrapped up next month.
Amelia Vanderhorst briefly appeared in the Mount Gambier Magistrates Court in person for the first time today, accused of one count of vandalism for allegedly damaging the Cast in Blue sculpture — known commonly as the "Blue Blob" — on September 13.
Police estimated the damage at up to $2,500.
Cast in Blue received some public backlash over its appearance and because it cost the City of Mount Gambier $136,000, while rates increased by 10 per cent in 2024 and 8 per cent in 2025.
Amelia Vanderhorst leaves the Mount Gambier Magistrates Court today. (ABC South East SA: Eugene Boisvert)
Magistrate Koula Kossiavelos ordered the case return to court on January 20 "for negotiations and finalisation".
Ms Vanderhorst engaged Michael Hill as her lawyer just before the appearance.
Mr Hill told the court he would need time to organise a contract to represent Ms Vanderhorst and for negotiations with the prosecution.
Crowdfunding for lawyer
Ms Vanderhorst has not entered a plea.
During her last appearance in November via phone, Magistrate Kossiavelos encouraged her to apply for legal aid funding, but instead she set up a GoFundMe page, raising about $1,000 for her defence.
Damage to the Cast in Blue sculpture in September. (ABC South East SA: Eugene Boisvert)
"I am the one who put the eyes on the blue blob and am getting charged for it when people do not think it's fair," she wrote on the crowdfunding platform.
"I do not have the funds for a lawyer, as I am only young and jobless.
"I did not mean for the eyes on the blue blob to harm or offend anything or anyone at all so please help me."
The page has since been removed.
Ms Vanderhorst's case attracted headlines around the world, with many commentators saying the eyes improved the look of the sculpture.
Controversy over cost and look
Cast in Blue is meant to represent a mythical version of the megafauna once found in the South East, but in the colour of the city's iconic Blue Lake.
About two weeks after its installation in July, chunks of paint were chipped off it, however, no-one was charged over that incident, despite the council passing CCTV onto SA Police.
Then, on September 15, the council said stickers were placed on the sculpture but the adhesive could not be removed without damaging its surface.
Restoration work underway on the Cast in Blue sculpture a week after the damage. (Supplied: City of Mount Gambier)
At the time of the September damage to the statue, Mayor Lynette Martin said the council would be pursuing costs from the person responsible.
"People don't have to like it, but they don't have to be creating wilful damage in this way," Ms Martin said.
"I think it's inappropriate and disrespectful and there's many members of our community who've embraced Cast in Blue.
"Rectifying the damage will result in significant repair expenses."