Australian nuns argue fracking is a habit we can't afford

Theirs is a cloistered, holy life, where the only sound some mornings is the flap of habits and the squawk of cockatoos.

And if nothing is more God-like than silence, what do the Discalced Carmelite nuns and friars of Varroville, near Camden, think of the prospect of coal seam gas drilling across NSW?

''To me it appears to be a slash and grab approach, get rich quick and - pardon this use of language - but to hell with the consequences,'' Sister Jocelyn Kramer said.

''It's not sensible to exploit the resources now and not bother what effect that might have for future generations.''