The world was in the midst of watching the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.

There were 14 Tasmanian athletes at these Games, including hockey player Eddie Ockenden, Scott Brennan, Sam Beltz, Anthony Edwards, Tom Gibson, rowers Kerry Hore and Brendan Long and Stephanie Grant.

Australian athletes were the belles of the Games, with swimmer Eammon Sullivan setting a 100m freestyle world record, and Libby Trickett smashed a butterfly world record during her Gold Medal swim in 100m women’s butterfly.

It was at this time, too, that the federal government introduced its “alco-pop tax”, which saw pre-mixed alcoholic drinks taxed at a higher rate.

In Tasmania, the Launceston General Hospital was in the midst of its worst bed block so far for the year, with then-hospital chief executive John Kirwan claiming the hospital was functioning at 105 per cent capacity.

The state’s police commissioner Jack Johnston made the decision to temporarily stand down, when it was revealed he was the subject of a code of misconduct complaints. Eighteen months later, Mr Johnston formally resigned.

We celebrated our University of Tasmania 2008 winter graduates, snow fell on Ben Lomond, and the Devonport Eisteddfod celebrated its 80^th birthday.