In the Tampa of the south – Brisbane, they’re equidistant from the equator — Queen Street FantAsia owner Yuk Lin Wong, 56, pleaded guilty in the Brisbane Magistrates Court to five charges, including failing to take measures to eradicate pests after a council inspection revealed rat droppings throughout the eatery on September 19, 2012.

Magistrate Judith Daley fined Wong $15,000 for failing to ensure her business complied with the Food Act.

Outside court, Wong said she had taken the breaches “very seriously” and it was now safe to eat there.

“We are taking every single step, and we closed the store immediately … (It is) always safe,” she said.

Prosecutor April Freeman said Brisbane City Council inspectors went to the business in the Myer Centre food court following complaints raised about a rodent problem in the centre.

She said inspectors discovered prawns were stored in an uncovered and damaged container in the cold room, the handwash basin was obstructed and a damaged wall in the cooking area.

Ms Freeman said inspectors discovered there was no device for measuring the temperature of food such as pork, chicken and seafood at the premises.

But she said the most serious charge related to the discovery of rat droppings throughout the eatery, including on the floor, on top of a freezer and behind a drinks fridge.