Theirs is a cloistered, holy life far from the whirl of Sydney, 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?

A formidable brown line: Discalced Carmelite nuns and Father Greg Burke at their Varroville monastery. Credit:Wolter Peeters

''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.''