The history of Dubašnica is tied to the forests of oak trees, known as "dub", which grew in the fertile fields of Dubašljansko polje. Serving as a protected harbor, it provided shelter for vessels in ancient times as a refuge from inclement weather. For a long time, it remained uninhabited due to fear of pirates and unwanted visitors. In the early 19th century, Malinska began to rapidly populate, primarily due to the increasing export of wood to Venice, Chioggia, and Rijeka. Ports for sailboats and steamships were constructed, the harbor area expanded, and from 1866 onwards, passenger steamships began docking in Malinska.

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Traces of life have been recorded since prehistoric and ancient times. The Liburnian tribe lived here, and remnants of their forts remain. One is near Porat, and the other is on Cape Ćuf. In the Zaharija bay on the western part of the coast, remains of an ancient residential building (villa Rustica) were found, bearing witness to the countryside life during antiquity. The medieval period left behind many more traces, particularly those associated with the Frankopan family, which played a significant role in populating and shaping the history of Malinska.

 

Tourism, which is now the main economic activity, began in Malinska at the turn of the 19th to the 20th century, thanks to the development of railway and steamship transport. The first recorded guests were hunters, Austrian and Hungarian aristocrats, and patricians from Rijeka. The end of the 19th century was important for health tourism in Malinska. 

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Saint Anton is a settlement on the island of Krk, located within the municipality of Malinska-Dubašnica. It is part of a series of small settlements without urban focus, with the center previously located in the village of Dubašnica, which became extinct in the 18th century. The settlement of Saint Anton, historically known as Kovači, acquired its present name after the local chapel of St. Anthony. It is one of the most significant settlements in the Dubašnica area, mentioned in the canonical visitation of Bishop Stjepan David in 1685. It formed from several smaller cores located around the intersection of local roads and several sinkholes with fertile soil. It has retained its scattered structure, cultivated land, and spatial organization with dry stone walls to this day.