there are a lot of airstrips around there. Coober Pedy, Oodnadatta, William Creek,
Old Akro, if you read the article again you will see where it says they were heading for William Creek, but wasn't sure if he had enough fuel to make it. Even so, I would have thought that there would be a nice stretch of open road nearby which would have been preferable. Unless a road train came along that is!
DF.