Nicola Sturgeon has taken over the leadership of the Scottish National Party (SNP) and will become Scotland's new first minister next week. Alex Salmond, speaking at the conference, received a standing ovation.
Alex Salmond has stepped down as SNP leader with a prediction that his successor, Nicola Sturgeon, will "make history" and secure independence for Scotland.
Scotland has now "changed utterly" as a result of the referendum vote he said.
He hailed Ms Sturgeon - who will be Scotland's first female first minister - as a "woman of extraordinary talent".
Mr Salmond told his successor: "Nicola, your contribution to where this party now stands has already been immense. "Your future contribution - I have no doubt - will be to make history."
He told the conference the "dream" of independence was "alive and well and will succeed".
Mr Salmond said that in the referendum - in which the Yes campaign secured 45% of the vote - Scotland had risen to "the challenge of change".
He said: "The people will not disappear back into the political shadows and the nation will not fade into the dark. This country has changed and changed utterly.
"That is the change which will carry us forward - forward to independence."
Nicola Sturgeon has been confirmed as the SNP leader and says she will keep making the case for independence.
As Alex Salmond steps down as First Minister next week, we look at some of the key dates in his career.