The graffiti, which reads "ADiCT" and "Duds 17", was discovered by neighbours of the Highgrove site on Monday, Cargill’s Castle Trust chairman Steven de Graaf said.
"You could liken it to someone desecrating an old cemetery," he said.
"It’s a 140-year-old building. You shouldn’t be doing things like that."
Neighbours told the trust about 20 people were seen trying to enter the site on Monday.
"There’s too much time and energy being spent on trying to keep people out at the moment," Mr de Graaf said.
The trust had an expert assess the graffiti, but it would cost them $2000 to remove and was risky.
"He’s not keen to do it because of the state of the building. It could harm the plaster," he said.
The trust made more than $10,000 from a heritage homes open day during the weekend and, while some of that money was earmarked for other purposes, some of it would need to be spent on removing the graffiti.
"People have to show a bit of respect. It’s an iconic Dunedin building."
It was believed the graffiti was done on Sunday night.
Dunedin Central community Constable Kerrin Williams said police were investigating the trust’s complaint.
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Come ON ODT! When are you going to learn that publicising graffiti only reinforces the vandals behaviour? By all means report that the castle was defaced, but DON'T stick a photo of the result in the paper. If the graffiti was removed promptly and no attention given to it, it is less likely that the offender will repeat the offence. Thanks to this article we are likely to see more of this particular moron's handiwork around town.