A 19-year-old woman has appeared in court accused of vandalising Mount Gambier's controversial $136,000 public artwork, known as the 'Blue Blob', and has since turned to the public to help cover her legal expenses.
The Alleged Vandalism Incident
Amelia Vanderhorst, 19, was charged with one count of damaging property after police alleged she glued oversized googly eyes onto the Cast in Blue sculpture on September 13. Authorities claim Vanderhorst showed reckless indifference to whether her actions could damage the artwork, which has divided community opinion since its installation in July.
Mount Gambier Council reported the incident to police, with initial repair estimates sitting below $2,500. Court documents later revealed the actual damage bill reached $1,800, caused when the attached eyes were removed, leaving behind glue residue and chipped paint on the sculpture's surface.
Court Proceedings and Public Response
Vanderhorst faced Mount Gambier Magistrates Court on November 4, where the magistrate urged her to secure legal representation before her next court appearance scheduled for December. The teenager did not enter a plea during this initial hearing.
On the same day as her court appearance, Vanderhorst launched an online fundraiser through GoFundMe, seeking $900 to cover legal costs. In her appeal, the 19-year-old wrote: "I do not have the funds for a lawyer as I am only young and jobless." By Friday, the campaign had gathered $759 from 19 individual donors.
Community Division and Restoration
The statue's creators, Tom Proctor and Mitch Walker of Huna Studios, described their work as inspired by fossilised megafauna and the town's famous Blue Lake, calling it a "creature drawn from imagined histories, a blend of memory, ecology and invention."
Mount Gambier Mayor Lynette Martin strongly condemned the vandalism, stating that community debate over the artwork's merits didn't justify damaging it. "People don't have to like it, but they don't have to be creating wilful damage in this way," Martin said.
The council confirmed restoration work had commenced on the Cast in Blue sculpture but warned the repair process would result in significant expenses for the community.
