[1] The Town of Sanderson was proclaimed in 1972 for the area to the east of Lee Point Road in Darwin's northern suburbs.

The Hundred of Sanderson was proclaimed in 1879 for the area of Lee Point and Shoal Bay near Port Darwin and is believed to be named after Frederick James Sanderson, SM JP who entered the public service as a clerk in July 1854, aged 20.

He was the first Commissioner of Patents and in 1878 was appointed as Collector of Customs and Chief Inspector of Distilleries in 1879.

In 1888, he was appointed President of the Marine Board as well as Collector of Customs.

The then Minister for Territories requested that Sanderson's name be preserved in some way.