The latter. The becominghuman.org site states that tool use began with the Oldowan* tools among the robust Australopithecines and continued through H. habilis and provides 2.5M y.a. as the starting point. OTOH, the Encyclopædia Britannica dates the tools only back to 2M y.a. with the apparent rise of habilis, noting that some researchers do not believe that the Australopithecines, who appear to have been vegetarian, would have needed tools.
At any rate, all the ages given are much older than 250,000.
- Apparently named for the Olduvai Gorge.