Googly Eyes Land Aussie Woman in Hot Water

Wed Mar 25 2026 11:20:40 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

A 20-year-old woman was convicted for sticking googly eyes on a public sculpture in South Australia after a night of partying. Find out what happened next!

Amelia Vanderhorst, 20, was convicted for adding googly eyes to a famous sculpture called 'Cast in Blue' in South Australia. Under the influence of MDMA and vodka, she was ordered to pay A$2,000 and perform community service. The incident raised discussions about the balance between fun and vandalism.

A 20-year-old woman has been convicted on a graffiti charge for sticking googly eyes on a famous sculpture in South Australia.

Amelia Vanderhorst pleaded guilty at Mount Gambier Magistrates Court and was ordered to pay A$2,000 (about $1,394) and complete 60 hours of community service.

Her lawyer noted that she was under the influence of MDMA and three liters of vodka on the night of the incident last September.

Initially charged with property damage, the charge was amended to graffiti following negotiations with the prosecution.

Since the incident, Vanderhorst has made changes in her life, reducing substance use and stabilizing her circumstances. She committed to making better choices in the future.

Vanderhorst originally attempted to crowdfund for legal support but later canceled the campaign.

The sculpture, unveiled in July and nicknamed 'Blue Blob', cost A$136,000 and represents a mythical megafauna, receiving mixed reactions from the community.

Local Mayor Lynette Martin condemned the act as 'willful damage', stating repairs would be costly as the googly eyes couldn't be removed without affecting the sculpture's integrity.