I remember a big hailstorm in Sydney a few years back - but surely it wasn't 8 years ago... probably 98 or 99.. Just found it.. 14th April '99.
http://www.bom.gov.au/weather/nsw/se...pril1999.shtml
I remember a photo in the next day's paper of the Swans training at the SCG, and they were holding these big-arse ice chunks. Wrecked a lot of roofs in Surry Hills (and the scoreboard!)
I was actually in the city that day and for whatever reason decided to leave uni early and go home - I missed the action!