Can somebody help me. I am trying to buy a bassoon but can only pay up to $1200AUD, but I really don't want to get a crap instrument. Could someone please advize me on where to go and what brands and makes to trust.

It would be much apprictacted.

I'm sorry but you won't find a new bassoon other than the cheapest & nastiest Chinese one for that figure & are unlikely to find a reasonable used one either. That's the way things are with these large & less common instruments. Prices have gone up incredibly over the last couple of years.
The cheapest I would consider looking at, new, is the Czech made Amati.

Sorry if this appears rather negative & blunt.

thx for info