A 19-year-old Australian teenager was accused of vandalizing a controversial work in Mount Gambiera city located in the state of South Australia. It’s about sculpture»Cast in Blue»known locally as «Blue Blob.»
Amelia Vanderhorst faces a charge of property damage. The incident occurred on September 13. Vanderhorstr would have placed googly eyes on the surface of the sculpture, which was inaugurated on July 16.
According to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC)in court documents police allege that the young woman was «recklessly indifferent» to whether her conduct would damage the sculpture. Police estimated that the resulting damage was less than $2,500 Australians.
Vanderhorstr would have placed googly eyes on the surface of the sculpture. Photo: City of Mount Gambier.On November 4, Vanderhorst appeared in the Mount Gambier Magistrates Court via video call. During his hearing, he did not enter a plea. «I’m very sick right now. Also I’m really high with painkillers,» he said.
The judge Koula Kossiavelos advised him to hire an attorney before his next court hearing, which is scheduled for December.
A controversial work since its installation: the debate about its cost and cultural value
Created by Melbourne artists Mitch Walker y Tom Proctor by Huna Studio, “Cast in Blue” is located on Bay Road, just outside the Riddoch Arts and Cultural Centre. The work «stands as a mythical creature that fuses local geology with prehistoric imagination,» the town of Mount Gambier said on its website.
«Cast in Blue» was the selected project for the Beacon Art Project, endorsed by Council in October 2024, after receiving 22 submissions from artists across Australia. Huna Studio’s proposal was chosen for «its ability to creatively interact with the unique landscape of the region and its potential to boost the city’s cultural and tourism offer.»
In this sense, the artwork aims to represent a mythical version of the megafauna that once inhabited the Southeast, using the color of the city’s iconic Blue Lake.
The «Cast in Blue» sculpture, known locally as «Blue Blob», was unveiled on July 16. Photo: City of Mount Gambier.However, the sculpture generated public controversy since its installation, mainly due to its cost. The work cost the City of Mount Gambier $136,000an expense that coincided with an increase in municipal rates of 10 percent in 2024 and another of eight percent in 2025.
Furthermore, the work of art had already been damaged previously. Approximately two weeks after its installation in July, pieces of paint came offalthough no charges were filed for that incident. On September 15, it was reported that stickers were placed on the sculpture. The municipal council indicated that the adhesive on these could not be removed without causing damage to the surface of the work.
The mayor Lynette Martin He noted that the council would actively seek recovery of repair costs from the person responsible. Martin called the damage «inappropriate and disrespectful» and warned that «rectifying the damage will result in significant repair expenses.»
